Five Times
by Bulletproof Picasso
Summary: Five times she died. Five times too many, and each time she was brought back to life, only to face death once again. Who is she, and why does she hate SHIELD so much? Can the Avengers win her over before it is too late? Or has the enemy already won? Rated T for character death and violence. Clintasha and hints of Pepperony. Please R & R!
1. Look What He's Done To You

**Chapter One**

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_"Defeated, wasted, broken, bruised, All because of my addictions It left me crying and confused, It cuts right through my religion My good intentions..." Scars, Colton Dixon_

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Darkness.

It was the first thing she remembered. And the last thing she saw.

That was before the light flooded her vision. Before she woke up to find herself alive once more.

How it happened, how it was possible, she would never know. But it did happen. More times than she could count. More times than she cared to know.

But that isn't the point. She was tired of the games. Tired of the hunt and the constant battles that waged around her. What she wanted to know was who did this to her. And when she did find out, she would get her revenge.

This is her story. The story of Valerie Hirsch.

. . .

"When are you ever going to learn?" The voice of my commander sneered behind a black screen. We were in a small room, surrounded by inky darkness as I struggled to keep calm. The man in question had a raspy voice that sent shivers down my arms. By now I've gotten used to that and the mistakes I constantly make. "When you are fighting someone you don't surrender to them willingly," he explained with a sigh of frustration.

I raised my head up higher, ignoring the fact that I'd likely get whipped for doing so. I've gotten used to the pain. My body is full of so many bruises and scars that it's impossible to see what's underneath. The training in this place was so intense, so torturous. But it had to be. Once I was out in the real world there was no going back. If I stopped my training now they would likely kill me. There were no mistakes in this encampment. So far I was the only exception to that rule.

"I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again," I apologized. I'd make sure of it. So far I've gotten just about every move right. This one was the most difficult. An enemy kept rushing at me, and all I could do was drop my arms and refuse to fight. It wasn't until they got close enough that I fought back. The element of surprise, making it seem like I would surrender.

"You know that it will not," the commander replied. Before I could sense what was happening pain shot through me. I didn't need to open my eyes to see what had happened. There were several methods of torture here, and branding was one of them. I fought back a scream of agony when the hot metal was pressed against my bare skin. Even if I could I wouldn't fight him. This was how it had to be. "There is no more room for mistakes, child."

His voice was like a growl as he finally pulled back the metal. I held back a sigh of relief as the pain started to fade. No one ever saw his face. He was known as either the commander, or more appropriately Master. I refused to call him Master, simply because he was too arrogant for the title.

"Take this runt away, I've got others to deal with," the commander ordered after returning to his room.

Almost at once the door slid open with a loud hiss. A blinding light blocked my vision as I was pried away from the room. It didn't take long for me to recover; by than I was led to my room and away from any curious onlookers. It was like this all of the time after training was finished. We never knew where we were until we got dropped off in our rooms.

I along with countless others had joined a program training young soldiers. My family had been killed years ago, during a home invasion. I was away at the time on a school trip. When I finally got back home I only just learned what had happened to them. The news had left me heartbroken at the time. I didn't know how to handle it at first until I was approached by men in dark suits. They explained to me that I could end the miserable lives of the people that took away my family. And of course I accepted without hesitation.

But it didn't matter. At this point it was in the past, and I moved on. The past made me stronger, and hungry for revenge. That was what this program saw in me. Or so I was told. They saw the potential of a warrior. I never questioned at the time what they were doing or what the program was for. But I wanted the training. I wanted to learn how to fight and take down any enemy that stood in my way, including the the people that killed my family.

"Valerie Hirsch, report to the medical bay immediately." My eyes narrowed when they called my name over the com. Only time they've ever done this was when I ever got punished. Taking a deep breath I decided it was better to get there as fast as possible. The people here didn't tolerate any tardiness.

It took a while for me to wander through what felt like a maze of endless halls. The compound was an underground facility, that much I knew. There were no windows to look out of. No one saw their first ray of sunlight until training was finished. I haven't seen the sun in what feels like years. Freedom was our reward once training was finished. At least about as much freedom as these people would offer.

Soon I reached the medical bay, and it was already buzzing with activity. I was greeted with sterile white walls and tiled floor. Hospital beds were scattered throughout the room as nurses and doctors worked on their latest victims. Most of the victims in this room wouldn't survive the night. I grimaced at the sight of one girl with several puncture wounds on her arm and both legs. She was losing too much blood, and the doctors had already given up on her. The worst part was her screams that filled the room, until she was given a sedative by one of the nurses.

"Ah, Valerie, it's good to see you again." One of the doctors had finally noticed my presence; his voice was coated with a sugar sweetness that made me want to gag. "The Master wishes to speak with you, about an experiment we had in mind."

I looked at the doctor skeptically. Whatever experiment they had in mind couldn't be anything good. I've heard rumors of so many people dying because of horrible experiments they were forced to take part in. And yet part of me was curious. This is what I'd been training for after all.

With that being thought of, I followed the doctor into another room that wasn't too far away from here. This room had a large metal door protecting it. I've only passed by this place once or twice, but it always caught my attention. This was where the commander lived after all. Hesitantly the doctor knocked on the door, telling the commander his name before opening it. I held my breath as I followed him inside.

What I saw next made my eyes widen in disbelief. This room was huge, filled with computers and tech of all sorts. A bed was placed on one side of the room with a kitchen that held all of the essentials. I wonder if this was what it would be like it I ever reached the commander's position.

"Young Valerie, I was hoping we would get to meet face to face." I stiffened when an all too familiar voice spoke up. The commander, my teacher and torturer finally came into view after working on one of the computers. He wasn't what I was expecting at all.

He was tall and young looking, maybe in his early thirties. Black hair that was slicked back with gel stood out on a face that reminded me of a football coach. His muscles and blue eyes were really what caught my attention though. This was the first time I'd ever seen him, and I doubted it would be the last. The commander looked at me with icy eyes, as if waiting for me to say something. It wasn't until I looked at the doctor that I realized the mistake I was making. Quickly I bowed to show my respect, knowing I'd receive a whipping if I didn't.

"I have been watching you these past two years, Valerie," he began as he went over to a desk near the front door. Files were scattered along the desk with papers and photos hidden inside them. "You have shown exceptional fighting skills since you first joined us. Unlike so many of the students and soldiers I see here, you follow the rules." I flinched when he patted my shoulder in what seemed like a congratulations. "Which is why you are my favorite soldier."

I looked at the commander in disbelief. Was he serious? All of the mistakes I've made, all of the beatings I received... how could he say all of that? Still I said nothing as he walked over to the desk, shooting the doctor a glare. The doctor simply bowed in response and stepped out of the room, leaving us alone.

"I want you to be the first to take part in an experiment that we have been working on for the past few months," he continued once he sat in the wheelie chair. "The process will be dangerous, and you may not survive, but if you do, than you will have the chance for freedom." My heart nearly skipped a beat at the mention of freedom. "All it takes is one simple word... say yes and I will let you go on your first mission."

At first I was hesitant, considering all the rumors and stories I've heard it wasn't surprising. And yet the lure of freedom was too good to pass. Besides, it's not like if I say no he'd let me go so easily. In fact he might just kill me if I don't agree with him. I took a deep breath before nodding in agreement. The commander's smirk widened as he pulled something from one of his drawers.

"There's a good girl," he sneered as he suddenly pulled out a gun. I didn't have a chance to react as he pulled the trigger. It felt like hours passed when in reality it was only seconds before the bullet met it's mark. In that split second the world around me went black.

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**AN: So this is the beginning of a new fic I've just started, obviously. Now this is going to be much darker than New Beginning, so you have been warned, there will be lots of character death and angst. Hopefully people will actually review and start asking questions, cause I'd love to see what you all think of this!**


	2. It Isn't Fair

**Chapter Two**

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_"Don't get too close, It's dark inside It's where my demons hide..." Demons, Imagine Dragons_

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For a while it felt like I was floating through darkness. Just like the first time I signed up for this program. All that ran through my mind was what just happened. How do I get out. And who did this to me. But the image is too blurry for me to make out as I try to remember. The only face I recognized was that of the Master's, no, my Master's face.

Slowly but surely my eyes began to open. It took a while for my vision to focus. When I did I found myself strapped to a table in a medical room. A doctor, a new one this time, was leaning over me. He was wearing a face mask, but I could see the worry in his eyes as he watched me.

"How do you feel?" the doctor asked. Wariness settled in when I heard his accent. He spoke in an Asian accent, and finally I recognized him as one of the program's top doctors. He also worked part time as a shrink to some of the newer recruits.

I frowned when he asked the question. What was I supposed to feel? All I could remember was waking up in this room. But I had to think of an answer. He would hurt me if I didn't. Instinct told me to tell him the truth, whether or not he would enjoy that.

"I feel... nothing," I replied after biting the bottom of my lip. I heard the faintest sigh of relief from the doctor as he walked over to one of the counters. This room was separate from the medical bay. For a moment I wondered why. The walls are made of concrete and painted a dull gray, reminded me all too much of my poor excuse for a room.

"The procedure is complete, sir," the doctor announced after typing in a code on a computer screen. I didn't bother struggling against the restraints as he left the room, leaving me alone. It felt good to be alone. It gave me a chance to think. Wait... thinking was dangerous, unless it involved a mission. I tried to ease my thoughts as the door slid open moments later.

"You have done well to get this far." I flinched when I recognized Master's voice. He towered over me, a smirk on his face as he looked me over. "And you are the first of my students to pass the test." Test... that's right, now I suddenly remembered. I signed up for this, to take the procedure and undergo some kind of surgery. Whatever I did had pleased Master, and that was good. "For that I would like you to follow me. There is a mission that I would like you to take part in."

This time surprise flashed across my face, and his smirk only grew wider. The straps holding me down were undone, and in an instant I was on my feet. Granted my steps were a bit wobbly at first; it felt like I hadn't walked for months. It took a while for me to find my balance, but once I did I was walking at a fast pace to keep up with Master.

I followed him to his office. Once inside the door slammed shut, and I found myself alone with him once again. Master had changed his office since I last stopped by. Where there was once a kitchen and bed was replaced by larger computer screens and monitors. I struggled to take it all in as Master sat at his desk. Before I could though I sat down on a chair in front of him, avoiding making eye contact with him once again. Master grabbed what looked like a manilla folder with several papers and photos kept inside and tossed it onto the desk.

"The mission I have in store for you is an easy one, so you shouldn't get caught," Master explained. "These people are trained mercenaries, like you. But they are only rookies compared to the students here." As I opened the folder I noticed a familiar face on one of the pictures. "They are smuggling weapons into their country, and we need those weapons if we are to continue our operation."

I simply remained silent as I studied the files given to me. The deal was being held in Russia, which was not far from here. Taking a deep breath I suddenly realized that this would be my first taste of freedom in years. I couldn't wait to see what the sun would look like.

Master suddenly stood up, and I resisted the urge to flinch once more when he looked me in the eye. "Now, who am I to you?" he demanded. His voice became cold as ice, sending shivers down my spine. Try as I might I couldn't keep my head held high like I longed to.

"You are Master," I replied, keeping my own voice steadily calm. Inside I was shaking with fear. Master was going to punish me again. I couldn't help but feel that overwhelming urge to fight back as he walked over to me.

"Very good Valerie. Everything you need is in this bag," he explained as he handed me a large duffel bag. I eyed the bag warily before taking it. "Your mission begins first thing in the morning. An agent will stop by to take you."

With that being said I was escorted back into my room. The few students still out for training passed by me, either shooting me glares or pleading looks. They wanted out of this place, but where would they go if they were free? It wasn't like anyone would ever take them in.

That was why I had joined this place. To learn how to defend myself and to have a home. I wouldn't belong anywhere if I was out on the streets. No one would want a fourteen year old who was covered in scars or could kill them. It was better this way, and safer.

When I got into my room I let the bag drop on the floor. The mission Master had given me was a chance to prove myself. To show him that I was capable of handling the field. As I looked further into the file I noticed that several of these people would need to be killed as quickly as possible. But was I ready to kill innocent people? Well, they were smuggling weapons illegally to another country. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

I would have to run as soon as they were dead though. They were likely holding the deal in a hidden area where the public wouldn't see them. At least that would make my job a little easier. For the most part Master already had soldiers waiting to take the weapons. All I needed to take care of were the guards. Yes, that was all I needed to do. From than on my life would only get even more difficult. But at least it was a life.

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**AN: I know this chapter was slightly shorter, but the next one will be longer. So... can I possibly reach three reviews before the next update? And more will be explained about what happened later on, I like keeping it a mystery! Anywho, thanks to Spinosa for reviewing!**


	3. Your Light Was Bright and New

**Chapter Three**

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_"Turn my beat up, overdose mine, I don't need drugs, got the Most High Holy Ghost writer to compose rhymes, Sin got us blind, got a cloud on our minds..." High, Lacrae_

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Avaria Bagrov. That was the name I was to use if anyone spoke to me. I was wearing a long-sleeved sweater and pants, and I kept my hood up to conceal my face as the agent led me to the outside world. The duffel bag over my shoulder lay in a slacked position, making it easy for me to keep up with the taller agent. He didn't speak, that wasn't part of his job. He was only here to escort me out of the doors and lock them behind me. I wouldn't be allowed back until my mission was either complete, or I was dead. Either way would suffice for Master. He would not tolerate failure.

The silence was good for me. It gave me time to take everything in as the agent let me outside for the first time in years. I didn't have sunglasses with me at the time, and I had no regrets. Sunlight nearly blinded my vision until my eyes adjusted to it. The natural light was almost overwhelming compared to the harsh lighting underground.

I took a deep breath once more and looked at the card the agent had given me. It was a credit card I could use to stay in one of the hotels. The mission itself was to take place later in the afternoon, and it was only eight in the morning.

The hotel wasn't too far from here, maybe only a few blocks. So I walked as quickly as my legs would allow, not wasting any time in getting settled. People walking by were giving me dirty looks as they passed me. They probably thought I was some random homeless kid out on the street, out here to steal their money. Well, maybe that story would be a possibility.

My family was dead. I had nowhere to go now but forward. And that's just what I did. All of that happened five years ago. When I was nine I signed up for this program. I wasn't expecting a fairy tale ending. Not when I knew there was no such thing.

. . .

"Sir, someone just walked out of the facility." A man dressed in all black was standing on the roof of an old building, keeping an eye out on the underground facility. SHIELD had been keeping an eye on the compound for years trying to bust whoever ran it. But no one ever saw the day of light, until now. And that was enough to trigger anyone's attention.

"Did you get a good look at them?" a voice replied over his earpiece. The man only shook his head, knowing that his boss wouldn't see him.

"All we know is that it was someone wearing a hoodie; obviously they knew they were being watched. What's the mission plan?" For years they'd been watching this place, waiting for any signs of life. Reports had been given of children disappearing off the streets, never to be heard from again. All of the reports were traced back to this area.

"Follow them, and find out who they are. If you can bring them back to SHIELD," the boss replied. Frustration was evident in his voice, but that wouldn't make things any better. The agent held back a sigh before climbing down the roof. This job suddenly got a bit more interesting.

. . .

My room was huge compared to the one back at the base. I avoided talking to anyone other than the receptionist at the desk. At first she had been surprised to see someone so young asking for a room. But when I explained my reason for being here, in Russian of course, she understood. So after a few more minutes of waiting for her to register my name, she gave me a room key and showed me to my room.

After dropping the duffel bag on my bed, I took everything in. It was strange having a soft bed to finally sit on. There were no beds at the base, only hard floors to sleep on. My body had gotten used to the feeling of cold floor, and this would take some getting used to. The room had a large vanity placed against a wall, and to the right of the vanity was a bathroom with a shower and all.

I bit the bottom of my lip as I looked at my reflection for the first time in years. Master never let us see what we looked like. He said that it was for our own protection, but now I could see the real reason behind it.

Horror surged through me when I saw what was staring back at me. A face covered in scars and puncture wounds looked me in the eye. As I rolled up my sleeves I noticed the burn scars from where Master had branded me several times. But that wasn't the worst part of it. As I got changed I finally saw what Master had done to me before I woke up in that room.

All I could do was stare at the bullet hole right above my chest. It was hideous looking. What really struck me was how I could survive something like that. A shot like that would have killed any normal human. I should be dead. Master should have let me die.

Tears threatened to overwhelm me as I looked away. I couldn't keep staring at my reflection. No wonder everyone was giving me horrified looks. They probably thought I was a freak of some kind. I fought back the tears. I wouldn't let myself cry. Sorrow was just another word for weakness.

A knock suddenly sounded on the door, drawling my attention. As quickly as possible I put on a new sweater, tossing the old one and changed into fresh jeans to blend in. Once that was taken care of I covered my head with a hoodie, hoping to hide my face from whoever was stupid enough to intrude.

Instinct kicked in before the door even opened. I grabbed the person knocking on the door by the wrist and twisted back as far as possible. Hearing him cry out in pain was satisfying enough. Without a second thought I made a run for it, ignoring the swears that followed. To my surprise he was speaking English, and that made me slow down a little. And of course that was the biggest mistake I ever made.

With reflexes like a cat he whipped around and grabbed me by the shoulder, quickly pulling me back so that I landed on the floor with a loud thud. Now I could see what he looked like, and I fought back a shout of panic as I jumped back to my feet. He was almost as tall as the agent that had escorted me to the outside for the first time.

"Let go of me!" I cried as he grabbed me by the wrist. He had a strong grip, but not strong enough.

Suddenly my leg swung over to his hip, hitting him as hard as I could until he let go. I used his distraction as a chance to flee once again. There was no way in hell I'd let him catch me. As I started running I heard the sound of a trigger being pulled, even from this distance.

I fought back a cry of pain as he fired the gun. The bullet against the back of my shoe; there was no way I would walk properly if it didn't heal right. I was lucky he didn't aim for my heart. That would have given him an easier time of finishing me off if that was why he stopped by. It only took him a few seconds to reach me; I never got the chance to get away.

"I'm going to give you two options," he began as he shoved me against the wall, pinning me to it. "Either you come with me without a fight, or we do this the hard way." My teeth ground together as I struggled to free myself.

"I think I'll take option three!" I snapped as I jammed my elbow into his ribs. His grip on my arms suddenly got loose. That was all I needed to feel in order to make a run for it. Or rather limp, seeing as my foot now had a bullet wound.

The people down in the lobby had finally noticed that something wasn't right. As I started climbing down the stairs they started panicking. I glanced up to see that the man had recovered, but he wasn't giving chase. It wasn't until I noticed what he was staring at that I saw why.

Someone else had just entered the lobby. The crowd of people started fleeing once they realized what was going on. A single nod from the man was enough for me. I knew that it was Master, and I would not hesitate to kill for him. Anyone who stood in this room was a witness that needed to be taken care of.

Without a moment's hesitation I threw my leg out to a woman who was running towards the entrance. Despite the pain from where the guy had shot me, I could still easily overtake her. In a matter of seconds her neck is twisted at a sickening angle, and I forced myself to look away as she let out a scream of agony.

Two other witnesses were taken out moments later. Master towered over me as I looked away, trying to avoid the bodies of his - our latest victims. What Master said next made my blood run cold with dread.

"Their blood is on your hands," he sneered, his voice dropping to a whisper. The man who attacked me earlier was still standing there. I was sure he was too shocked to comprehend what just happened. "Time to fake innocence." It wasn't until he pulled out a gun I knew what would happen next.

For a moment my heart stopped. I felt no pain as he fired the gun. Seconds seemed to pass by like hours as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. And in that short amount of time the man that had attacked me was reaching down, but not to inflict more pain like I expected. His face was the last thing I saw before blacking out, once again.

. . .

"_Master, why let the agent take her?"_

_"I want to see how SHIELD reacts."_

_"If SHIELD finds out what we are doing, they will come after us."_

_"That girl will not give them the chance. The serum is fully functional now, correct?"_

_"Yes Master."_

_"Good. We're about to give SHIELD a taste of their own medicine._"

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**AN: I know this feels a bit rushed, but I couldn't resist leaving it off than and there. Hopefully someone else will actually review this time? I do have to thank Spinosa though for making me feel like I'm actually doing a decent job, thanks again! :)**


	4. But He Didn't Care

**Chapter Four**

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_"Is it true what they say? Are we too blind to find a way? Fear of the unknown Clouds our hearts today..." See Who I Am, Within Temptation_

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No one bothered stopping by that morning. No one bothered to see the broken girl wrapped in bandages on a medical bed. Only two people stopped by the night before to see the damage. They never saw anything like it before. It was an appalling sight, and even the fully certified doctors were horrified by what they had seen.

The girl was covered in scars, from head to toe. She had several burn marks along with what looked like cuts and bullet holes. What bothered the pair more than anything was that she had survived it all. Her hardened exterior made it seem like she could survive anything the world through at her. But they knew what she would be like when she woke up. She would be terrified, and try to fight back. They were ready.

. . .

"Director Fury, are you sure about this one?" Agent Phil Coulson was on the phone with the director, avoiding anyone else in the office. Since his supposed 'death', he had been keeping an eye out for people who might be good candidates for SHIELD. But something about this girl just wasn't right, and Coulson wasn't the only one who thought that.

"Considering all that she's been through, I'm sure she's the one," he replied. "Have you seen the photos we sent you?"

Agent Coulson let out a sigh as he said yes. He did see the pictures, and he was horrified by what he saw. No one should ever go through this kind of torture. How she managed to survive was beyond his knowledge. But judging from the bullet holes in her chest and on her foot, she wouldn't forgive SHIELD so easily for letting her live.

"I'm not sure if she's mentally ready for this challenge," Coulson explained after pushing the thoughts aside. "What if she suddenly attacks, or worse?"

"Romanoff and Barton are already on my ass for that one," Fury muttered. Coulson had a feeling those two would be. They knew what it was like to go through something like that. Most of the higher up agents knew what it was like. "I want you to find out more about her history when she wakes up; where she came from and who she really is. So far we've got nothing in the system."

Agent Coulson leaned against the back of his chair when Fury hung up. This was not going to be an easy mission. If the girl did have some crazy backstory, than she wasn't likely to warm up to him. More often than not they usually tried to run. He would have to take on a different approach, find out what made her different from the rest and try to win her over. Otherwise she might just end up on the street again, only this time she could easily kill those that dared oppose her.

. . .

My head was still buzzing from the flurry of activity in the room. For a while it was like watching a scene from a movie. People were walking in and out, either glancing at me or completely ignoring my presence. I was thankful for the ones who ignored me. The people that stared at me... I'm not sure what to make of their expressions. It doesn't take a genius to see that they're horrified.

"You've caused quite a stir here." Panic rose within me when I heard a voice speak up. Glancing around I spotted a man dressed in a nice suit standing beside the open door. To my left was the beeping of a heart monitor, and for a moment I wondered why it was here. "People are beginning to question why we brought in someone like you," he added after eying me warily. Again I said nothing, only avoiding his eyes as I tried taking everything in.

I was in a hospital room. Or at least that's what it felt like. Ivs were strapped to my arm, and I noticed for the first time that my stomach was wrapped in bandages. That was when the panic suddenly returned.

Memories of the day suddenly came rushing back all at once. I pictured myself in a hotel room running from someone. Master had approached me and stopped the attacker. But than something else happened, something that sent shivers of fear and rage through me. All the people who witnessed our attack, I had to kill them. I killed them without hesitation. And when I was finished, Master fired a gun at me.

"Do you talk? Or did they train that out of you too?" Confusion swept through me when he asked that. Than I understood when he looked at me seriously. The hate I felt earlier for what I did returned. But this time it wasn't directed towards myself, I had someone else to thank for turning me into what I was now. The only response he got from me was a simple nod. I was too angry, too confused and nervous to speak. And he seemed to understand that, much to my relief.

Thankfully he didn't spend much more time here. With that being said and done, he left the room and myself in peace. Well, about as much peace as I could get.

I thought about the past events and everything that happened. My life was a mess. Those innocent people I killed, their blood was now on my hands. I could never forget their horrified looks as I killed them, not even thinking of the consequences. And it had felt good at the time to kill them. Much as I hated admitting it, I enjoyed the taste of their fear, the look in their eyes when they begged for mercy. Was that all of Master's doing?

It was only a few seconds when the door swung open once again. My heart began to race when I recognized the person standing in the door. Dressed in the same suit he had worn during his attack, he really did look intimidating up close. But seeing him now I saw that there was so much more to his features. He had spiky blond hair and light blue eyes, but that wasn't what caught my attention. It was how powerful he looked that sent shivers through me.

Out of fear I braced myself for what might happen when he walked in. This was usually right at the point where an intense round of training would begin. If I failed training than I would receive some form of torture that followed. Only to my surprise, I felt no hand slapping against my face, or the hot end of metal piercing my skin. Instead he was standing far away from me, on the other side of the room. Concern flashed in his eyes, but he made a point to hide it.

"Who are you?" I demanded. My voice was hoarse from lack of use. I was surprised I could speak at all after how long I was out. I'm sure I had been knocked out for weeks. It wasn't until now I realized how weak I probably sounded.

"Agent Clint Barton, from SHIELD," he explained as he folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "So, do you have a name or are we going to keep calling you 'It'?" His question was meant to lighten the mood, but it only made me angrier.

I was always told not to trust SHIELD, or anyone who worked for it. And yet here was the guy who at first saw me as a target, and than later saved me when I was on the verge of death. The anger was replaced with confusion as I tried to figure out what was going on. I would give them a false identity. Master had taught us that people would question what who were are, and to use another allias.

"Avaria Bagrov," I replied while looking him in the eye. Clint looked slightly taken aback by the fact that I spoke. "What am I doing here, exactly?" I added once the surprise faded.

"Brought you here when you were dying in the hotel lobby," he explained. "You're welcome by the way." He added the last part with a smirk.

Smug little bastard. Should've punched him when I had the chance. And he should have just let me die. Anything would have been better than what I was facing now. Guilt was trained out of most of the program's recruits. But for me, it was different. I could almost _feel_ the pain those people that died felt. And while it did feel good to kill them, it didn't feel good now.

"Considering the fact that you were shot in the stomach, I'm surprised you're still alive," Clint continued as if I wanted to hear more. "No human should be able to survive something like that." He looked down at me once again, as if expecting me to say something. I wasn't sure what to say. Even if I did know what had happened, I wouldn't tell him.

"Guess I'm just full of surprises," I said bitterly. The look he gave me told me that he didn't believe what I said one bit. But thankfully he didn't press any further. Instead he took the chance to leave before things went from bad to worse.

It gave me time to thank of some way to escape this hell hole. If I stayed any longer these people would probably treat me worse than they did at the program. Taking that into realization the urge to escape suddenly became more desperate. I wasn't going to let these people hurt me; that pain was reserved for Master.

My teeth ground together when I realized that my hands were strapped to the bed, once again. Carefully I tried wriggling my wrists so that I could slip out of my restraints. It wasn't an easy task, but my wrists were small enough that I could manage. Once that task was finished I ripped off the Ivs as the heart monitor began beaping more quickly.

_I know the risks_, I reminded myself as I slowly got up. To my surprise as I made my way to the door it was unlocked. Just how stupid were these SHIELD agents? Did they really not think that I would try to escape? Maybe they thought I was too hurt to even bother trying. Obviously they've never seen what I was capable of.

Slowly but surely the door creeked open, to reveal a long hallway leading to what looked like the outside world. I glanced around to make sure no one was around, careful not to alert anyone guarding the halls. With quick work I managed to knock out the security cameras before making a run for it. It was at that point everything started going downhill.

An alarm sounded almost as soon as I got outside. The harsh sunlight only blinded me for seconds before my eyes adjusted to it. Wind rushed past my skin as I ran across the cement, ready to escape before the agents came snooping around. My heart was racing with adrenaline as I made my way towards the edge. Hope surged through me when I realized that my plan was working.

But in a matter of seconds that hoped was crushed when a strong pair of arms grabbed me by my torso. "You're not getting away that easily kid." Clint's voice rang in my ears as I fought back, jamming my elbows into his chest as hard as possible. Another string of curse words escaped from his tongue as he dropped me. Even if he could overpower me I wasn't going to let it be easy. I was ready to take on anyone at this point.

"Slow it down kid, you jump off and you'll regret it." My eyes widened when a new voice spoke up. "We are not the enemy, much as you'd probably love to say we are." Clint was still clutching his stomach when we were both approached by a tall African American man wearing an eye patch. I wasn't sure what to make of him as he stared at me menacingly. "You need to calm down, taking down one of my top agents is not a wise choice."

Mentally I scoffed at the term 'top agent'. I could easily kick Clint's ass if I wanted to, but I held back. I wouldn't kill unless I was given the order to. "How do I know I can trust you?" I demanded, my fists clenching once again.

_Don't believe anything he says. Anything SHIELD tells me is a lie_. I kept reminding myself this as he locked gazes with me.

"If you want answers to that than you'll have to come with me," he replied. "I know you aren't going to trust me, at least not right away. But you will be safe here, for the time being." He added the last part with a warning in his tone.

Safe... the idea of actually feeling safe or being safe had never occurred to me. I was safe under the watchful eyes of Master. But here I had nothing. I _was_ nothing. I was just a simple little nobody who had killed in cold blood. If I fled now the cops would give chase and send me to prison for the rest of my life. This really was my only option.

* * *

**AN: So there's chapter four. Hopefully everyone enjoyed it, cause I had fun writing it :) Thank you so much ellethwen of lothlorien and cat-afterlife for reviewing! They really mean a lot! And please let me know what you thought of this chapter, I'd love to get some feedback!**


	5. He Took The Heart of a Little Girl

**Chapter Five**

* * *

_"Look what he's done to you, It isn't fair Your light was bright and new But he didn't care..." Broken Girl, Matthew West_

* * *

I was exhausted by the time they led me to what looked like an interrogation room. My eyes scanned the area warily for any signs of cameras watching me. Sure enough SHIELD had them everywhere. From wedged in a wall to hiding on the ceiling. The room itself was more secured than I had hoped for. A steel door prevented me from easily kicking it open, and the only things inside the room were a desk and two wheelie chairs.

The stranger in question had stopped inside the room once I was led inside. Clint had already left after glaring at me the entire time. At this point I didn't care of he hated me. He could glare all he wanted, it would never effect me.

"So, why don't you tell me who you really are, Avaria," the man suddenly spoke up. His quiet voice from earlier was replaced with that of a forceful tone. I looked him in the eye when he said that, realizing that Clint must have known that I was lying. Damn these SHIELD agents were good. When I didn't speak he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "The last thing I need is some random kid giving us a difficult time," he added, this time sounding serious.

"My real name is Avaria," I replied after putting in some thought. If I tell him the truth now he would know that something was wrong. I needed to come up with some kind of excuse, and this was my best option. "I lived in a small town in Minnesota, and that's about it."

"You have a Russian accent," he said in an accusing tone. I flinched when he said that. By now I'd gotten so used to the accent that I almost forgot about it. "So, you have a Russian accent, look Russian, and yet you can speak clearly in English. Can you speak any other languages?" His next question caught me off guard; I was expecting him to stick with his original accusation.

"If you count Latin as a third language, than yes," I replied. My eyes flickered towards the camera. He had already cuffed my hands to the chair once we were settled in, but I could still manage to knock out their security code, if I could reach it. But he never gave me the chance to even try. The smirk on his lips told me that he already knew what I was trying to do.

"Most people wouldn't even try cutting off the security," he murmured thoughtfully. I was surprised that he didn't sound angry. He was watching my every move, calculating what I would do next. If I keep it cool than he wouldn't suspect anything. "Why don't you tell me where you come from, and who trained you?" Despite the gentleness in his tone, I would not tell him the truth. Master would only make things worse if he found out what I said or did.

"I was born in Russia, but raised in the United States," I lied. "My mother and I decided to go back to Russia for a business trip, and that's when I lost her." The man raised an eyebrow as I let out a sigh. Hopefully he would buy that. It was the lie Master had told me to tell anyone who ever caught me. "Since than I've been traveling on my own, trying to make a living."

"And you expect me to believe that?" My heart raced a little faster when he laughed. Clearly he was better at seeing through a mask than I thought. "You're good kid, but not good enough. Let's start this over." He paused as my eyes flashed with frustration. He wasn't going to let me get away with lying, at least not this time. "My name is Nick Fury, and I am the director of SHIELD."

For a moment I wasn't sure what to say. He knew that I would keep lying until the truth finally slipped out. Even if I told him my first name he could find countless information on me. From my birth registration to what I was doing now. So I kept on a poker face and locked eyes, or in this case eye, with him.

"I won't tell you," I replied, keeping my voice steady. Director Fury only let out a sigh of frustration and shook his head.

"Wrong answer." Before I could react he stood up and left the room, locking the door behind him. The cuffs around my wrists were too tight to wriggle them free. SHIELD must have thought everything through if I couldn't escape. Looking over my shoulder I noticed to my left that a large black wall stood before me. Something told me that it was a one-way mirror; I wouldn't see who was watching me on the other side, but they could clearly watch my every move.

I held back a sigh as I realized they would probably leave me without any food for weeks. At least until I was ready to crack under the pressure. What SHIELD didn't know was that I've been trained for times like these. The program would make sure that any of their good students were capable of surviving without food or water for days on end. I was no different from the rest.

The minutes seemed to drag on as boredom quickly settled in. I hated no knowing what was going on around me. I'm sure that Director Fury was watching me behind that screen. And he was probably having the time of his life too. It didn't take long for the boredom to turn into something much more dangerous. If I could I would've hacked into the security long ago, but the cuffs prevented me from doing so.

Instead I decided to go for something a little more unusual. Carefully my shoes slid off, revealing a large blade I kept hidden inside. I'm sure that caught the good director's attention, but at this point he probably didn't care. I could try using my feet in order to hack into the system, if I could reach the desk. But my chair was placed so that I was far enough away not to cause any real threats.

Before I could try out my plan the door to my cell, or whatever this room was called, suddenly opened. I quickly hid my feet as best I could as someone walked inside. To my surprise instead of seeing Director Fury someone else had replaced him.

It was an older woman, with long curly red hair and piercing green eyes. The SHIELD uniform she had on really made her stand out compared to Fury and Clint. I didn't miss the gun that fit snugly in it's holster as she walked inside, ignoring my glare.

"You know there's a lot of people out there who would love to have someone like you working for them," she began as she walked over to the desk. I was surprised to hear the faintest Russian accent in her voice as she spoke English. "My name is Natasha Romanoff, I've been working for SHIELD for the last few years or so," she added as she locked gazes with me at last.

"I would say you've made a mistake," I replied, my voice dropping when she shrugged. "But than again you're probably too stubborn to admit that." I added the last part with a smirk.

"Who would you rather work for?" Her question caught me off guard, and suddenly I knew what she was doing. Put on an innocent act and play it nice. That's what any well trained agent would do.

"Don't know," I replied with a shrug. "I'd probably be better off working on my own. I don't deal well working with others." That much was true. Originally the program had wanted me to work on a team, but I refused. And that resulted in the continuous beating until Master stepped in and agreed with me.

"You're real name is not Avaria," she suddenly said in an accusing tone. I raised an eyebrow as she leaned forward, looking me right in the eye as she continued, "I'm not Director Fury. I have my own methods of getting people to talk. If you don't cooperate with SHIELD we will take it personally. And I can assure you that you wouldn't want that."

"Oh I'm sure I wouldn't." I hid back a smug look as she kept on a poker face. "I'm not some pathetic little girl who's begging for help. I will not tell you my real name, and I will most certainly not cooperate with SHIELD, not even if they threaten me with my life."

And that much was true. No matter what sort of torture SHIELD had to offer, I would not give in. Master had trained us all to deal with times like this. And this sort of captivity was no different. I could deal with this for months if need be.

"Most people would be full of guilt if they had killed innocent bystanders," Natasha suddenly pointed out. That was enough to make my blood run cold. The look in her eyes told me that she had gotten to me, and I tried to keep on a straight face as she continued, "I'm sure their families are happy to find out that they are dead, killed by a young girl with no heart."

By now my teeth were grinding together out of rage. Her words were more piercing than her gaze. I felt no guilt for what I did to them, and yet it hurt to think about what I had done. Before I knew what I was doing I struggled to free myself from the cuffs, lunging forward in the process. Natasha only drew out her gun and aimed it at me, ready to fire if things got out of hand.

"You're nothing but a bastard," I hissed under my breath when I realized I couldn't reach her. She didn't even waver when I said that. Instead she stood up and left the room, leaving me feeling more confused and angry than ever.

Once she was gone the tears began to fall. I hadn't even noticed that I was crying until I tasted a salty tear running down my cheek. All of the training I received led to nothing when she spoke to me. It was like she had found a way to break me without ever touching me. And I hated her for it. For making me feel weak and useless. I was not going to forgive SHIELD for doing this to me.

. . .

"Damn Nat, you really got to her." Clint was standing next to his partner, grinning as they watched the scene unfold. The girl was actually crying. And here Clint didn't think she would have any feelings at all.

"You owe me twenty bucks," she replied in a smug tone. Clint was really the only person to ever see any emotions from her. It was an unusual partnership, and one that no one ever understood, except for Fury and Coulson.

With a groan of annoyance he passed her a twenty he'd been saving for lunch later on. Director Fury was keeping an eye on their newest prisoner from a safe distance. They both knew that this interrogation could go on for weeks.

"At this rate she'll never talk," Clint muttered after forcing himself to look away.

It was difficult to watch. They'd seen many interrogations and had even taken part in many of them. But this case was different. Something about that girl reminded him too much of Natasha when she was first brought in. He hated admitting that she would make a good recruit, if she would stop being so damn stubborn.

"Maybe it's time we let her relax," Natasha murmured thoughtfully. "Remember she's under a lot of pressure, and probably scared that we will arrest her."

But wasn't that the point of bringing her here? They needed to find out why she was at that hotel in the first place. And who the man that shot her was. How she managed to survive such a attack was beyond any of them. She did survive, and now SHIELD wanted to know how.

"Hope you're right Nat; she might be a lost cause," he said before heading to the cafeteria. It was time to get some grub before running the next interrogation. Maybe food would get to her if he offered some.

At this point Natasha wasn't listening. What Clint had said reminded her of when she first arrived. SHIELD had thought that she was a lost cause too. But Clint and Director Fury had given her a second chance. A chance to redeem herself. She was going to give this girl a second chance at life. Maybe what the girl really needed was a family.

* * *

**AN: Here's chapter five! Hope everyone's enjoying it so far, and don't worry, things will start to pick up after the next couple of chapters. This probably won't be as long as my other story, but who knows... if it gets popular enough I might make it longer ;) Anyways, big thanks to ellothwen of lothlorien and AmeliaRoseOswald for reviewing! You guys are awesome!**


	6. And Made it Grow up Too Fast

**Chapter Six**

* * *

_"Lights will guide you home, And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you..." Fix You, Coldplay_

* * *

Two days. Two days I've been stuck in this room with nothing to do but stare at walls. It was worse than watching paint dry. No one had stopped in to interrogate me or offer me food. Only water was given to me when I asked no one in particular for some. Director Fury had cameras everywhere. He was waiting for the right moment to walk in and ask more questions.

Natasha's words had really effected me. What she said gave me nightmares when my eyes closed. All I could see were the faces of those people as I killed them. Each one of them had a look of horror in their eyes. None of them said a word though as I snapped their necks, not giving them a chance to fight back. In the background I could see Master's face light up with pride as I killed them.

On the second day the door finally swung open. By that point I was too exhausted to fight back or say anything. Lack of sleep was getting to me. I needed to rest my eyes if I ever tried getting out. I couldn't fight back if I was sleep deprived. But to my surprise the newcomer was someone I recognized, and the smell of food made me stir in my seat.

"Thought you could use a snack or two." I was surprised to find Clint's voice reassuring as he handed me an apple and a granola bar. "So, this must suck compared to being stuck in the medical bay," he added as I eyed him warily. Hunger gnawed at my stomach, and I couldn't resist taking a bite out of the apple.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked after swallowing. He didn't look smug like I was expecting. In fact I noticed for the first time that he actually looked concerned. Why would he bother caring for someone that had already beaten the crap out of him twice?

"SHIELD shouldn't be letting you starve," he replied. I knew there was something else to his methods. He was leaning against the wall like he had back in the medical bay. Compared to Natasha he was much more open and relaxed. "Plus you remind me of someone else I brought in years ago," he suddenly added.

That got my attention. SHIELD probably had a lot of people who were like that. But none of them were like me. I would bet that none of them had to go through the training I suffered on a daily basis. But I wasn't going to say that out loud. Instead I kept quiet as I finished the apple and granola bar, thankful to have something to eat.

"Thank you," I murmured, letting a little venom enter my voice.

"You know you have a way of making thank you sound like go and die," he pointed out.

"It's a gift," I replied in a smug tone.

Clint only rolled his eyes. "So, you gonna keep up this little act of yours or are you actually going to talk?" he asked.

I looked back at the gray wall and thought of what to say next. At this rate they would never let me go unless I told them something. I took a deep breath before coming up with something, anything to get me out of this room.

"Hirsch," I whispered. Clint looked at me in surprise, and I said my real last name in a louder voice once more. "That's all I can give you."

"That's all I need," Clint replied before leaving the room once again.

My eyes closed the moment he left. All I could think about was how they would find out who I really was. What they would do when they found me. Or worse, how they would toss me in prison once this was all over.

All I wanted now was to curl up and let them kill me. I would rather die now than be thrown in prison. I'm sure the states could convict me as an adult for what I did. Once tossed in prison I would never survive.

. . .

Words were scribbled down on a notepad as Natasha went over the files she hacked into. After Clint had managed to get the girl's last name, SHIELD found it easy to hunt her down. Hirsch was a common German Surname. In a matter of minutes Natasha had found exactly what she was looking for. From birth records to the last record kept on the girl.

Her real name was Valerie. From what it looked like her family had been killed while she was away on a school trip. That was no surprise to Natasha. Most of the new recruits in SHIELD had lost family members. What really caught her attention was what happened after Valerie returned home.

She was approached by a group of men who were supposedly working for the government. The men had offered her a place in their program, convincing her that she would be safer there than out on the streets. They would offer her training and a home.

Natasha bit the bottom of her lip when she read that file. Whoever had written this up must have known what was going on. And the program Valerie had joined sounded eerily similar to the Red Room, back in Russia.

"Sir, you might want to look at this," she announced after she closed down the files. It didn't take long for Fury to join her. He'd only been finishing up a meeting with the Council, one of his many favorite pass times here on the Hellicarrier. "Looks like there's more to this Avaria than we first thought," she explained as she handed him the notes.

Director Fury's eye widened when he read them. A mixture of horror and outrage was written across his face. "How is it that they managed to get their hands on a kid like her?" he demanded. His voice was cold as ice, and Natasha wasn't surprised by his reaction.

"From what it looks like they staged her family's death," she replied. "Whoever did this knew what her reaction would be like; she was only eight when it happened."

That seemed to catch Fury's attention. How was it that the death of an entire family had gone unnoticed by the public? That was what he really wanted to know. Whoever did this had known to cover it up as well as they could.

"We keep this confidential; whoever asks tell them we've found nothing," he ordered. "We need to find out more about this Valerie before we tell the others." Natasha simply straightened up and nodded in agreement.

If word got out that SHIELD was harboring a kid like her, the results would end in disaster. This would be kept between them as far as the rest of SHIELD was concerned.

. . .

What is someone who was trained to kill to do when she was trapped in a room? The SHIELD agents had finally taken me out of the interrogation room after I told Clint my last name. I had no doubts that they had found everything about me. I didn't bother putting up a fight this time, much to their surprise. At this rate if I kept fighting back they would keep locking me in that other room. At least here I had a little more freedom.

"This is your new quarters," the agent shoving me forward explained. A steel door swung open with a creaking noise as I was pushed inside. Annoyance flared within me when they left. To my surprise the room was much bigger than I had expected.

In the right-sided corner was a small bed covered with fresh sheets and all. There were no windows, and the walls themselves were made of steel. I noticed that the door only opened from the outside, giving me no chance to escape.

With a sigh I sat down on the bed, frustration churning within me. This wasn't much better than the interrogation room. But at least I could actually walk around and stretch my stiff legs. Who knew how long I was sitting in that room. It could've been days, since I couldn't keep track of the time.

This was just wonderful. My life was already sucky enough and now I was stuck in here. I had no idea how long I would even be here. And once SHIELD was finished with me there was no telling what I would do afterwords.

Being here alone gave me time to think about what my life had been like, prior to joining the program. Memories of my family started flooding back the moment I pictured them. I was always closer to mother than I was to father. My sister was the complete opposite. Dad was always into sports, and she took gymnastic classes. I was always the quiet student who got As on all her tests and quizzes.

I closed my eyes as I remembered the day my sister and I first fought. It was probably one of our worst arguments, and it nearly tore us apart as a family. But somehow mother had managed to keep us together, despite the desperate urge to get away.

. . .

"_Valerie took it!" Annie was standing in the middle of our shared room, pointing a finger accusingly at me._

_We were both six at the time, and twins. The only difference between us was that Annie had died her hair a light blond color. Her hair was also shorter than mine and held up by pigtails. And Annie had always acted like the boss around home, especially when dad was around._

_"Honey, what did she take?" dad crouched down so that he was eye-level with Annie. The sympathetic look in his eyes was only for her._

_"She took my bear! She took Huggles away from me!" By now Annie was in tears, and I fought back the urge to scowl._

_Huggles was actually two bears that mom had bought us when we were three. But when Annie was throwing a temper tantrum the other day she tore apart her Huggles. Mine was still on my bed sitting on top of my pillow. She was just jealous that I still had mine._

_"Valerie, why would you do that?" Dad was now glaring at me as he stood up, picking up Annie in his strong arms. Why wasn't mom around to see this?_

_Because she worked two shifts every day. That was always her excuse. By now she's explained it so many times that we both understood the meaning. I forced back a tear of my own and stomped my foot defiantly. This time I was going to stand up for myself._

_"Huggles is mine!" I snapped. "Annie tore hers up and is just jealous that I have mine!"_

_"Val, no excuses." Dad walked over to my bed and picked Huggles up, tossing him over to a triumphant Annie. "You shouldn't fight with your sister anyways. This is getting out of hand," he added._

_Without warning I lunged forward and pried Huggles away from Annie's arms. Her eyes widened in surprise when I held on to him as tightly as possible. The glare I gave her was a piercing one, and even dad looked a little scared when he saw my reaction._

_"Huggles is mine!" I repeated myself._

_Before I knew what was happening dad slapped his hand across my face. Annie let out a squeal of fear when he tore Huggles away from me and tossed him over to her. All I could do was watch on in horror as dad left the room, glaring at me before slamming the door shut._

. . .

Mother was the one who discovered the bruise on my cheek. Since than her arguments with dad only got worse. It wasn't until dad started fighting with fists instead of words that their fighting really got bad. And it was at that time when I reached the age of eight that I found them dead. I never found out what had happened to Annie. She was gone around the time I found out what happened.

Once again I found myself crying despite the urge to fight back the tears. Bitter sorrow threatened to overwhelm me. I would never forgive the assholes who killed my parents. If I ever got out of this place alive, I would hunt them down and destroy them. That much was a promise.

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**AN: Originally I wasn't going to update, but I figured tomorrow's chapter will be shorter, and I have the urge to keep writing. Especially when I get these awesome reviews :) I also decided to change the titles of the chapters to the lyrics of a favorite song of mine, if you haven't guessed than please keep trying ;) HINT: It was a song previously used in this story. Big thanks to ellothween of lothlorien and Spinosa for reviewing! You guys are awesome!**

**Also wanted to point out that I do not own the lyrics to that song or any other song I used previously.**


	7. Now Words Like Innocence

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

_"Used to think You didn't care, I, was just a pawn in the game You were playin' Puttin' walls up everywhere Never thought You heard a word I was prayin'..." Disaster, Newsboys_

* * *

"Run the files through me again." Natasha let out a sigh of frustration as Clint rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"We know that not everything is as it seems," she explained. "Valerie has one surviving family member; her twin sister Annie Hirsch. Annie is currently living with a new family in Malibu, California. She doesn't know that Valerie is alive, and Valerie doesn't know that she is alive." Clint looked like he was trying to put together a puzzle. "Don't hurt yourself," Natasha muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"So let me get this straight," he began as they started heading for her new room. Valerie had been moved the other day to a separate room since she gave away her name. It was the least SHIELD could do for her at the moment. "They can't find out that the other is alive, or it'll cause some kind of fight between the two?" Natasha raised an eyebrow as he finally understood the mission. "I wonder what they'd do if they did find out," he said thoughtfully.

"Fury's afraid that it would end in disaster," she replied. "Something about the two were always fighting when they were younger. Valerie never got over those fights I'd assume, and neither did Annie. It's best to keep this a secret." She folded her arms when the door swung open, revealing an empty room. "Wonderful." Even Clint looked around in surprise, until he glanced up.

But by than it was too late. Valerie swung down from her hiding place, knocking Clint over and leaving Natasha little time to recover from the shock. She was on the run in an instant, picking up speed as she ran through the maze of halls. Natasha grabbed her stun gun and was ready to fire when something stopped her. There was something about her determination that caught Natasha's attention. No one escaped their prison here so often, unless they had a death wish. She held back a sigh and grabbed her other gun; this time she would not miss.

. . .

How stupid were these SHIELD agents? After I found a weak point in the wall I climbed the bed and clutched on to the air vent for dear life, waiting for the perfect moment. Once both Natasha and Clint were inside, I struck them down. That was when I started running. I wasn't going to let them catch me, not this time.

"Stop!" I rolled my eyes at whoever shouted that. They really expected me to stop now? I wasn't planning on stopping until I got away.

More and more agents were starting to run after me, until something or someone shoved them out of the way. I didn't need to look over my shoulder to see who it was. I figured Natasha would give chase once she and Clint recovered from the shock.

_Don't stop running now_. _Don't let them take me_. Silently my mind was begging to break free from this prison. I could feel my heart racing as I reached for another door, only to find myself in what looked like a communication center. Computer monitors were spread throughout the room, and what looked like a lookout dock opened up above the computers in the middle of the room. Above me I could see a panel of windows overlooking me. A few agents up there were watching with interest as Natasha and Clint finally caught up.

With quick reflexes I managed to dodge a knife thrown in my direction from Natasha. Clint had already grabbed his weapon of choice, what looked like a bow and arrow. As SHIELD agents I'm sure they needed to have numerous skills compared to any normal citizen.

"Fire now!" I didn't miss what they were planning. Natasha was trying to distract me while Clint fired an arrow from the other side. The agents up above us had already made a run for it the moment they saw what their comrades were up to. But by the time Clint fired an arrow it was already too late.

Someone else had fired a gun while I was distracted. I felt my heart stop for just a moment until the pain exploded in my chest. Both Natasha and Clint had frozen in midstep when they realized what just happened. I looked at them once before making a break for it again, ignoring the throbbing pain.

To my amazement I was still on my feet, running at full speed. By now Natasha and Clint were probably too stunned to give chase, and the rest of this hellhole were probably still trying to catch up. So far it seemed like those two were the only good agents I have met, and that wasn't saying much.

I didn't stop running until the pain became too much. By that time I was already outside, relishing in the fresh air that brushed past my face. Unfortunately for me the moment didn't last long. The pain was starting to make me dizzy, and I couldn't see straight.

"You're not going anywhere with wounds like that." A blurry image appeared in front of me, familiar and yet too distant for me to make out. The voice sounded like Master's, but I wasn't sure. I couldn't be sure at this point as he grabs me before I could fall. "You're in good hands, Avaria," the voice whispered.

. . .

Natasha slammed a fist into the wall when they received the news. Despite all of Fury's best efforts they still got away, with Valerie in tow as well.

"What do you mean someone infiltrated the system?" Fury was beyond pissed as one of his agents reported back to him, catching the one agent that had shot Valerie in the heart. It was amazing that she hadn't died almost instantly, and even more so when she started running again.

"Sir, it appears as though this one was working for the enemy," the agent explained. Anger was evident in his tone, though he kept on a straight face as Fury glared at the said agent they were holding up by the collar of his suit. "They must have contacted them once the girl was in our custody."

"Wait, who is _them_, exactly?" Clint demanded.

"We believe that it is a secret division working under Hydra, but we're not entirely sure," the agent replied. Natasha instinctively stiffened at the mention of Hydra. Clint couldn't blame her for her reaction.

Hydra was well known throughout the world as an organization originally created by the Red Skull. But when he was defeated they branched off into different parts of the world. The worst part of Hydra was the Red Room, a place in Russia where young children were trained to kill. The Red Room not only trained these people but also controlled them. Natasha was one of the few agents to ever escape their clutches alive and turn against them.

"So the girl was training under a secret Hydra division; that would explain why her family was killed," Natasha murmured. Fury ordered the agent that infiltrated them to be thrown into prison, and the room suddenly became eerily quiet. "What do we do now, sir?" she asked.

"We need to find her before Hydra gets their hands on her," Fury replied. "Natasha, Clint, you're my best agents. But for this we're gonna need someone who knows Hydra better than anyone." Natasha nodded in understanding while Clint folded his arms in annoyance. So much for working together again.

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**AN: So there's chapter seven. And yes, Hydra will be involved in this story, along with numerous other enemies I have planned for it ;) Apologies if I made any mistakes in this chapter, with the storms last night I had to write this in a hurry before shutting down. Big thanks to ellothwen of lothlorien and AmeliaRoseOswald for reviewing! You guys are awesome!**

**ellothwen of lothlorien - I'm glad you're enjoying it. Adding lyrics to the story always seems to make it more suitable for each chapter and what the character is portraying.**


	8. Don't Mean a Thing

**Chapter Eight**

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_"All the life she has seen, All the meaner side of me They took away the prophet's dream for a profit on the street..." Superheroes, The Script_

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My head was still throbbing when I finally woke up. Blurriness clouded my vision as my eyes slowly opened.

I found myself in an oddly familiar room. It took a while for me to realize that I was laying down on a medical bed. By now I had gotten used to waking up on these things. To my surprise they were more comfortable than what I used to sleep on.

"Good, I'm glad to see that you are awake." The beeping from a heart monitor strapped to my arm started getting louder and faster. Master's voice rang smoothly in my ears, that familiar sensation returning as relief washed over me. "I was beginning to wonder if my little pet was dead."

His words were oddly soothing. If a SHIELD agent had said that I would've ripped their head off. But Master was... my Master. I trusted him with my life. He saved me from SHIELD's grasp. And for that I was thankful.

"You did well to get this far," he explained as I struggled to straighten myself. "The incident with SHIELD was just another reminder of how skilled you really are. And that you have passed every test we have thrown at you."

Test... was that what all of that had been? Just a test to see whether or not I would survive?

When I thought about it it did make sense. I just couldn't believe that they would never tell me. Then again if they did warn me than I would act differently. The program had a reason for everything.

"Where are we?" I asked in a quieter voice. I managed to sit up as Master went over some notes a doctor must have written down. When I did sit up I noticed that fresh bandages were wrapped around my chest. Something told me I didn't want to know what had happened.

"We are in a base somewhere near the US," Master replied. "And there is a mission I would like you to take part in. When SHIELD held you captive they had files that we managed to locate. It is up to you to find these people, and take their research."

Curiosity got the better of me as I tilted my head to one side. I wanted to find out what these people did. Yet concern flashed through me at the thought of taking on a mission so soon after the last. Master seemed so sure that I could succeed, so I couldn't refuse the offer.

When I got out of the hospital bed, I was surprised to feel no pain. I wasted no time in following Master towards narrow hallways. Fluorescent lights nearly blinded me as we continued walking. I had no doubts this base was underground like the last one. The program was known for having several bases scattered across the world. This was no different.

Master handed me files that were similar to the old ones. A manilla folder stuffed with pages upon pages of paperwork. Written across the file was the word '_Project R_'. Warily I tilted my head to one side as I studied the pictures and words written down on the paperwork.

Apparently a scientist was trying to create a serum that would give people immortality. So far the tests had been deemed unsuccessful. But it had caught the program's attention. And now Master wanted his hands on a sample of the serum.

"I thought you already had a serum like this," I said when Master gave me permission to speak. Without his permission he could inflict more pain. So I waited as patiently as I could until he showed me the signals.

"We did," Master replied. "The scientists were able to replicate the serum, but by the time they were finished they were already dead."

Now that's what I would call ironic. But I dare not say it out loud. Judging by the look in Master's eyes, he was not pleased with the outcome.

"The serum was used on you," he went on in further detail. "We believed that in order to create the perfect soldier, we would need someone who does not hesitate to kill or follow orders. Someone like you."

I felt my blood run cold as he hands me some weapons to make use of. Three knives, two pistols and a couple of grenades to keep hidden. The program had turned me into a killer. There was no turning back now.

"There is a new change in clothes in your new quarters, along with money and any other substance you will need for this mission," Master told me.

Once he stood up I took the cue to leave. Other agents walking past gave me cold looks as I walked on, heading for the room Master pointed out. By now I've gotten used to the looks. Either they are too afraid or too angry to speak. I didn't care. I wasn't here to make friends.

Carefully I pushed the door to my room open. One thing I've learned when starting the program was to always check your surroundings. Even if it seemed safe there was likely an enemy waiting behind that door. There were so many times when I had been attacked or violated during my stay in the old base. Too many times for me to keep track of that I had almost forgotten about it, until now.

I tried shaking the uneasy thoughts off as I got inside. A warm shower would wash away any painful memories I had. Here at least I had a bed and a bathroom I could shower in peace. Back at the old base we had to share showers, and it often got to the point where I felt uncomfortable. Holding back a sigh I decided to check and see what was in the bag now placed on my bed.

Sure enough Master was right about leaving a fresh pair of clothes in the bag. A black suit was placed inside with darker jeans and a gray long-sleeved shirt. Biker gloves were placed underneath the clothing along with some American cash, close to four hundred dollars to be exact.

With that checked out I headed for the shower to soothe my already sore muscles. As I got unchanged and turned on the hot water, I thought back to what had happened.

I didn't remember much of my capture with SHIELD. Maybe that was a good thing. Master had said that they would try making my life as miserable as possible once I was detained. I thought back to what those two people had said during their interrogations. Their names were on the edge of my tongue, but I couldn't quite place them.

Seconds later and I was out of the shower, a towel wrapped around me as I finished getting ready for some sleep. My mission began in the early morning. So now I would have time to get some rest and think over what I would do to the scientists once I found them. Various methods of torture ran through my mind, but I quickly pushed the thoughts aside. I may be a killer but I wasn't into torture. Soon sleep took over, and my mind was riddled with nightmares.

. . .

"Is there any way to track down where she goes next?" Natasha was already at the computer typing away, with Clint at her side as always.

"If you'd quit talking and let me get some work done, yes," she replied with a roll of her eyes. Clint only let out a huff of frustration and folded his arms as she continued typing away, ignoring the look he was giving her. In a matter of minutes she managed to hack into a security file, one that was located in Malibu California. Natasha's eyes narrowed with interested as she scanned the names that were printed on the file. "Now we've got something," she murmured thoughtfully.

"What is it?" Clint eyed the scans suspiciously until he spotted what she was staring at. Sure enough he could see the names listed on the scans. They were the names of scientists working on an unusual project, one that did not go by unnoticed. SHIELD had these files for a reason. "How is it that a group of scientists are getting the funding required for research like this?" he muttered crossly.

"Obviously someone believes that they are doing the right thing," Natasha explained after jotting down several notes. By now she had gotten used to keeping a notepad with her at all times. It came in handy during moments like these. "What we need to focus on are the names... do they have any history with secret divisions such as Hydra or Aim?"

Clint suddenly understood what Natasha meant by that. Aim and Hydra would have the money to fund such a project. Hydra especially would be interested in such a serum. If they got their hands on that than they could revive the Red Skull. Natasha could only guess why Aim would be interested in the serum.

"So we track down these scientists and find out which one the program is targeting," Clint concluded once the screen went black.

"I think it's a little more complicated than that," she pointed out. "We don't even know if they are targeting these scientists, and if they are, who's to say they won't send someone else? They know we'll be looking for her."

They were stumped after realizing that she was right. But at this point they really didn't have much of a choice. If the girl was a victim to the Red Room than she would make a valuable asset to SHIELD. The program was supposedly shut down, but it was possible that they could have just changed it's name.

Finally a decision was made between the two. They would start tracking down the scientists. It was certain the program would target the scientists and take them down one by one. It was only a matter of time before the assassin behind their attacks showed up. Hopefully they could stop the girl before it was too late. Otherwise she could become one of SHIELD's greatest threats.

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**AN: And so Valerie's mission continues... things are really gonna pick up after this, and I should warn you that the next couple of chapters will not be so pretty. Thanks to Spinosa and AmeliaRoseOswald for reviewing! You guys are awesome! :D**


	9. You Hear the Music Play

**Chapter Nine**

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_"I've run to ground, I've run from everyone that I have ever known I'm aching cold I'm aching from the bones the very blood of me..." The President, Snow Patrol_

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Tall roofs stretched before me as I stood on top of a large building. My first target lived in a smaller apartment building not far from the city. I stole a quick glance at the file hidden in my pocket. He was an elderly scientist who'd been on the team for years, and he could have the best lead yet. Carefully I picked my way down the steep roof, ignoring the blaring horns and sirens from police cars down below. My main focus was the mission. From here I could see just about everything.

On my right I could see the ocean from a distance. Mountains rose above on either side of the city, protecting it from damaging winds. To me the city was huge compared to what I was used to, but I knew there were bigger ones in this country. With one quick jump I managed to reach another roof, grabbing hold of whatever I could. I could see people watching me from inside their apartments as I climbed further up the roof, until I got a good view of my target.

The scientist was only a couple of homes away from me. Taking a deep breath I started running until I finally reached the second building. It was a tall apartment building that stretched into the clouds. I wasn't afraid of heights. Master had made sure that I wasn't. But seeing the distance between myself and the ground below sent a small spark of fear within me. Luckily most of the roofs were Spanish styled, which meant they were either flat or rose to one side.

I made my way into the building after punching through the escape hatch on the roof. All apartment complexes and buildings were supposed to have some kind of fire escape. Slowly but surely I started walking down the steps, keeping myself calm as I reached my destination. James Yeltz would likely know that he was being targeted, if he was working on this project. I would bide my time and wait until he returns to his apartment.

He doesn't have any other family, aside from having a younger brother. That made my job a little easier. The last thing I wanted to do was kill a kid. We were taught to kill those who were younger than us. But it didn't make the effort feel any better, or easier. I peered around the corner to see that the door was closed shut. People walking back to their apartments or leaving made a point to avoid me. I don't blame them for feeling so wary. If they knew the real reason behind my arrival they would all be running scared.

When I reached the door I wasn't surprised to find that it was locked. With a roll of my eyes I grabbed the tool I used to pick at locks. The program taught us all the tricks in the book, from pickpocketing to breaking and entering. This was no different as I found the right tumbler and unlocked it. My eyes widened in surprise when I got inside.

The apartment was empty; that was no surprise to me. It was how well kept the apartment was that caught me off guard. A small kitchen was placed in the back with a balcony overlooking the ocean. White carpeting covered the floor, and to the right was what I assumed his bedroom. On a shelf were pictures of what I guessed were his friends and brother's family.

"I will have the paperwork filled out..." My heart beat faster when I could hear the muffled voice from outside. I had closed and locked the door once again before stepping inside. The scientist wouldn't suspect a thing if I went into hiding. Thinking quickly I jumped behind the sofa before he got inside, peering underneath to find a pair of boots shuffling around the carpet. "...Understand that this isn't going to end well. Yes, I know the risks we're taking, but it's almost finished-" He stopped and stood still.

I kept my breathing steady, hoping he wouldn't notice that he wasn't alone. I wouldn't strike until I had the right opportunity. And right now it was standing right in front of me.

"I will... call you back, sir," he finished. "I know you are here, you do not need to hide, or do you not speak English?"

"Loquor, loqui linguis," I replied, speaking in Latin. Gingerly I stood up, raising my hands to show that I meant no threat, for the moment. "я был послан, чтобы убить" This time I say it in Russian, and his eyes lit up with recognition and fear.

"And here I was expecting them to send in someone with more... experience." His laughter was enough to send me over the edge. Without warning I lunged forward and grabbed him by the wrist, twisting so that it would break. To my surprise James didn't even cry out as I slammed him against a wall and pressed a knife against his neck. "Do you really have what it takes to kill?" he demanded, his voice trembling slightly under the pressure.

"I do," I retorted as the knife slid across his throat. This time he did choke out a few curses. "Tell me where the serum is, and I'll make this quick!" The mark I left wasn't deep enough to kill him. But it would leave enough pain for him to crack.

"I will never tell you," he hissed. I could almost feel his teeth grinding together.

"Wrong answer." With precise movement I leave another mark on his neck, forming an X shape. Blood seeped from the wound, staining his once clean carpet. "Now I'm going to ask you once more, where is the serum?" This time I pressed the knife harder into his neck, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Alright, I'll talk!" Tears streamed down his cheeks as he finally choked out the words. "The serum is in a lab not far from here, close to Stark Industries."

It was about time he talked. But that wasn't going to stop me from killing him. All I needed was to find the paperwork and files that would give Master everything he needed to recreate the serum. I forced myself to look away as James let out a scream of agony. The body soon dropped in seconds, and the ear-splitting scream ended shortly after.

I didn't look at the body after cleaning the edge of my knife. At least now I had a decent lead to where the serum was located. Now I needed to find out where the paperwork was. That might take a while, especially considering how big the city was.

With a sigh I jumped down the latter and started climbing down until I was on the ground. By now I could hear the panicked cries of people from above. They must have discovered the body judging from the shouting that followed. Police sirens wailed in the distance, telling me that I needed to run before they caught up with me.

Carefully I pulled the hood over my head to keep my face covered. The police cars were already drawling everyone's attention. It wouldn't be long before this was all over the news, spreading like wildfire. For now I'd have to wait until night for my next target. Hopefully by than the panic would die down, giving me enough time to locate the next scientist in question.

. . .

The two of them watched the scene with careful eyes as the police tried figuring out what had happened. Natasha could only guess how the man was killed without anyone discovering the murderer. Both she and Clint had already come up with their conclusions, but they would never say it out loud for the girl's sake.

"I can't see any fingerprints of the sort, otherwise we could use that for evidence," the cop muttered after scanning the area for any evidence. "Is there any reason the intruder would kill this man?" He looked up at Clint, avoiding Natasha's piercing gaze.

Working with cops was one of their least favorite past times. Until the cops faced a battle with Chitauri or demigods they would never know what it was like to face a real battle. "He was a scientist, it's possible what research they were doing was a target," Natasha explained. "This is SHIELD business now, you can leave." The glare she gave the cop was enough to send any other sane man running. But the cop only folded his arms and looked at her defiantly.

"My job is to keep this city safe," he snapped. "Until I find out who the murderer is, I will not rest, I will not-" Clint cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"Yeah, yeah, we get the jist," he muttered. "Now leave before we change our minds about arresting _you._" The cop only just glared at him before muttering something under his breath, leaving the two of them behind. Natasha knew they would not hear the end of this if SHIELD got word of what happened. She held back a sigh of frustration and looked back at where the body had been.

Paramedics had left with the body just minutes before they had arrived. The scene that lay before them was an uneasy one. Families with young kids were horrified to find out what had happened to the victim. Parents held their children close when the cops warned them not to get any closer. The apartment building had been evacuated so the cops could look for signs of the murderer. Fortunately for Valerie's sake, they couldn't find her.

"This is bad," Clint finally murmured.

"No shit Sherlock," Natasha retorted. She leaned forward to see where the body had been. Blood now stained the carpet, and she decided to take the chance and take a sample. "She used a knife to kill him. She didn't even need a gun." Natasha had already seen the wounds on the scientist before he was taken to the hospital. It didn't take a genius to see what the murderer had used.

"So, are we dealing with a serial killer?" Clint asked. The look Natasha gave him said that he was wrong.

"I don't think so," she replied. "Something tells me there's more to this story than we're getting. She looked guilty when I mentioned the death of those people at the hotel," she explained. Natasha stood up and looked back at Clint. "I know that look. She was afraid; it was almost like... someone was controlling her."

"Alright, we need to bring her in and find some way to break their control," Clint concluded once there was silence. Natasha nodded in agreement, but she knew that it wouldn't be easy. If she was under their control, than they would make it as difficult as possible to free her.

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**AN: And so more of the truth is revealed... and I am thinking of including all of the Avengers in this story, just like in NB. So let me know what you thought of this, I love hearing your feedback :) Thanks to AmeliaRoseOswald for reviewing, I really do appreciate it!**


	10. But You Can't Sing

**Chapter Ten**

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_"And it feels so real from the outside looking in, And it feels so real from the outside From the out From the out tyrant..." Tyrant, OneRepublic_

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It didn't take long for me to find a place to rest. I couldn't stay at a hotel, not without getting caught. So my second best bet was staying hidden in whatever alley seemed suitable enough. I huddled in the corner of a building to keep away from people passing by. This was never going to be an easy life, that much I had gathered. Hopefully sleep would be easy to come by, though I doubted it would help. I had a feeling that my dreams were going to be surrounded by nightmares.

. . .

"Think she's dead?"

"Doubt it. See? Her sides are moving."

"Good, than let's make this fun."

Instinct told me to swing a dagger I was keeping hidden in my boot. Three men had found me, and their eyes widened in shock when they saw the dagger I was holding. Without warning I twisted around and leaped onto the taller goon, ignoring his cry as I slid my dagger across his throat. The moment I released my grip he fell, dead at my feet. The two remaining goons stared at me in horror, realizing what I could do.

They ran before I could attack, much to my relief. Glancing down at the body I felt guilt gnaw at my stomach. Five people I've already killed, and I felt no remorse for their deaths. It was in my job description, to fight people until there was no fight left in them. And I was actually enjoying it.

I shuddered at the thought as I cleaned off my dagger. It was time to move, yet again. This time towards my next target. If I kept moving at this rate I'd get there by daybreak. It was still dark out, which told me that I would have plenty of time.

For the next few hours I started wandering aimlessly, or so it seemed. I knew exactly where I was headed, towards the outer regions of the city. The scientist in question lived by the ocean. He was close to Tony Stark's mansion, but not close enough for them to be friends. Of course after reading all the stories on the genius, I'm not surprised. Tony wasn't one to get along with another unless it benefited him somehow.

I stopped as the sun began to rise, signaling the start of another day. Traffic ran smoothly across the road as I waited for a crossing point. The house in question stood over a cliff overlooking the ocean. This scientist even had his own private beach. Wish I had that kind of money. About all I had was the cash Master had given me, and that wasn't much. And it wasn't even my own cash. For now I would keep it tucked away unless there was an emergency.

Once I reached the other side of the street I peered inside the window, careful not to attract any attention. I'm sure the scientist had this place rigged, especially when word got out about what happened to his comrade. I scoped the area out to make sure he didn't have any bombs or other manners of destruction to hurt me with. Thankfully it seemed like he was pretty peaceful for the most part.

"I'm finished with my homework daddy!" I stiffened on instinct when I heard the squeaky voice. Peering around the corner into a window, I noticed a little girl was sitting at a desk holding up some papers. She looked to be around nine and was staring up at a man who looked to be in his thirties. Suddenly the guilt I felt earlier returned, only now it was ten times worse. I dropped everything and walked away, leaving the happy family behind.

I wouldn't kill if there was a kid involved. The thought made my stomach twist with disgust. Even if I could easily kill a child I wouldn't. That just wasn't in my... nature. And yet just as suddenly as I had turned, an overwhelming urge to take down the scientist rushed through me. It was like a loud buzzing noise in my ear that only I could hear kept telling me to turn back. The same thing had happened yesterday when I killed James.

"There is no turning back now..." Master's voice rang in my ears. Oddly enough it was strangely soothing as I walked forward, towards the mansion. "Do you think society would accept you if we set you free? They will always see you as what you truly are."

Suddenly I pulled out a small gun I'd been keeping up my sleeve. Along with the countless knives and swords I kept, I needed long-ranged weapons as well. This one was perfect for a moment like this. Kill them all, and leave no witnesses behind. Those were the orders Master had given me.

With the speed of lightning I aimed my gun towards the window. The scientist in question was still at his desk, oblivious to the threat looming not five feet away. There was no hesitation this time as I pulled the trigger. Seconds later and the bullet flew through the window, shattering glass and hitting it's target. Time felt like it had slowed down when I heard the girl screaming in shock and fear. The quiet thud of a body sounded moments after, sending shivers through me.

Once the threat was taken down I leaped through the window, ignoring the sobbing that sounded from behind. At the desk were the papers I had been looking for. Formulas and research were written down on the papers, telling me that this scientist had been the brainchild of the project. But with these files we could easily recreate the serum he had discovered and created.

"You're a monster!" The girl's words sent chills through me, but I quickly pushed the fear aside. I turned around and kept on a straight face, ignoring the horrified look when she saw my scars.

"You have no idea how right you are," I muttered. The girl wasn't given a chance to respond. Gingerly I aimed the gun at her, but it was pointed towards the floor. Even through the loud ringing in my ears, I still knew this was wrong. The moment I pulled the trigger the girl collapsed, either from exhaustion or shock. But at least she wasn't dead, I hoped.

I glanced over my shoulder when the sound of sirens wailed in the distance. How the hell were the cops always finding out so quickly? Than I noticed the security cameras placed inside the home. An alarm system must have gone off. Holding back a groan of annoyance, I decided to take the chance and grab the paperwork before the cops arrived. I couldn't very well get captured for a second time, especially if it was the cops. Unlike SHIELD I'm sure the police would not hesitate to kill someone like me. I was of no use to them, especially after breaking so many laws and killing so many innocent people.

As I walked outside I noticed a small crowd of people were gathered around the other side of the street. That was when I noticed something different. My heart was racing with fear when I saw something flying in the sky, taking off towards the mansion. The spectators were watching in awe, clearly amazed at the sight of some strange creature flying in the air. That was when I nearly facepalmed.

Of course I should have remembered Iron Man. He was mentioned several times during training as a potential threat to the program. And seeing him now flying in the air made me realize just how risky this was. And I'm sure that he was part of the crew that captured me days ago.

With a sigh of annoyance I started running to avoid the crowd, noticing some familiar faces within. Most notably were the two people who questioned me during my captivity. Should I fight them now or flee? Suddenly the ringing in my ears only got louder, a warning sound telling me to kill before things got worse. I spat a curse under my breath as I started running again. The ringing in my ears was almost overwhelming as I ran away from the crowd, towards where ever my feet would take me.

The roaring sound of engine thrusters echoed in the distance. I glanced over my shoulder only to feel a pair of strong arms pick me up. It didn't take long for the ground beneath my feet to lurch as I was pulled into the air. I forced back a scream that threatened to escape my lungs.

"Wonder if I should drop you now or throw you into prison?" I didn't need to look up to see who was carrying me like an eagle would carry their prey. Iron Man's rough voice sounded from the helmet, and at this point I couldn't fight back even if I wanted to. "You're a tough kid, I'll give you that, but not tough enough." Without warning he dropped me on the flat roof of a building, sending me tumbling as he landed with ease.

"го ди инъ хелл," I muttered with all the anger I could muster. My legs were still shaking from the fact that I had actually been in the air. It was a strange feeling that made my stomach lurch. I wondered if this was what it was like to be on a roller coaster.

"Awe, I'm touched that you love me so much," Iron Man replied. I could almost hear the smirk in his voice. With a roll of my eyes I lunged forward and grabbed my dagger, ready to strike him down until he hovered in the air, just out of reach. "Did I say you could use your toys?" Iron Man waved a finger at me in an accusing manner.

"Enough." A new voice quickly joined us, and a sense of dread washed over me. "You're only making things worse." Natasha approached with caution as I glared at her, dropping the dagger seconds later. "We're not here to hurt you," she added in a softer tone. "We only want to talk."

"And here I was hoping she'd be a fangirl," Iron Man sighed. "Guess my job here is done." With that being said he took off once again, flying back towards his mansion nearby. Natasha only pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration once he was gone.

"Valerie... do you know why we are here?" I looked at Natasha in surprise when she played it cool. I knew her partner was nearby, keeping an eye on us both. If I made one wrong move he would not hesitate to kill me. So for now I decided to play along and keep a straight face.

"SHIELD is the enemy," I whispered. Natasha raised an eyebrow. Clearly she wasn't expecting me to talk so soon.

"What do you think SHIELD does to make us an enemy?" Natasha's question caught me off guard. Truthfully I wasn't sure how to answer that. Master had only said that SHIELD was the enemy. They would take what was rightfully there's with force if necessary.

"И вонът тальк (I won't talk)," I muttered. Natasha held back a sigh and shook her head.

"Веьре эге тоу нлп (We're here to help)," she replied in Russian. "Valerie, you don't belong in that program. What they did to you is-" I cut her off with a glare.

"You don't know anything about me!" I spat. "And don't act like you do!" Natasha's expression softened as she took a step forward. My eyes narrowed with hate; she just made a dangerous move.

"I know more about you than you realize," she murmured sympathetically. "Come with me, and we can tell you what is happening."

How could I ever trust her? She worked for the enemy. She was an enemy to Russia and the program. And yet I could see that she was clearly trying. Glancing over my shoulder I noticed that Clint was standing not far away on another roof top. He had his arrow ready in case I tried attacking. Finally I looked back at Natasha.

I could see pain in her eyes, as if she's haunted by a past of her own. I've read the files on her. Master had always said the Black Widow was a traitor to everyone. One day she would even betray SHIELD if given the chance. But seeing her now, I could tell that she was only human.

The ringing in my ears felt even worse now. I could almost feel Master's anger as my own as I raised my hands in surrender. Here I had no choice. If I ran her partner would shoot. If I stayed they would just send me to prison, where I rightfully belonged. At least if they brought me to SHIELD I would have a chance to escape again. Natasha only stared at me in disbelief when she realized what I was doing. She was probably expecting me to put up a bigger fight.

"Stand down, we're good here," Natasha suddenly whispered through an earpiece. She glanced over at me once more before looking back towards the other building behind me. Clint stood up when he realized the fight was over.

This fight was far from over. The glare I gave them was dangerously obvious. I would make their lives a personal living hell when I was taken into SHIELD's custody. That much I knew, and that much I would promise to Master.

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**AN: Here's a double chapter update! So yeah, she's captured again and all of that fun crap... only this time it's going to make a bigger emotional impact than she realizes. So big thanks to ellethwen of lothlorien and Spinosa for reviewing!**


	11. Those Pictures in Your Mind

**Chapter Eleven**

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_"Glory to thee my God this night, For all the blessings of the light Keep me, O keep me, King of Kings Beneath thine own almighty wings..." Tallis: Canon, Libera_

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This was beginning to feel familiar. After the agents had taken away any visible weapons I was hiding, they blindfolded me and put me in handcuffs. This time they were not taking any chances. I knew they were leading me back to the Hellicarrier. The familiar hum of an engine thundered in my ears as we made a landing. Moments later and I was on my feet again, being led to most likely another interrogation room. The agent behind me roughly shoved me forward, until I could hear a slapping sound shortly after.

We arrived in a hushed silence as I heard doors slamming and closing from behind. The sound of feet shuffling over steel flooring echoed around me. I'm sure that whoever is in charge of this place had kept their agents busy, especially with my arrival. It's not like they'd want some murderer running loose on the Hellicarrier, one of their most secured sectors. Then again Black Widow has done more damage than I ever would at this point, and she got out Scott free. Or so I thought.

Finally I was forced to sit down on a chair and bound to it's arms so I couldn't escape. It felt like hours had passed before the blindfolds were removed. When they were I found myself sitting in a new interrogation room. Once again the walls were padded with a soft material, and I assumed the room was soundproof. But I knew they were watching through cameras. They were listening and waiting for me to do anything that would put my life at risk.

I remained quiet until the door to my room swung open. The person entering the room caught me off guard. Director Fury of SHIELD stood in front of the doorway, closing it shut before I got any ideas. The tension in this room was beginning to get to me. What I wanted now more than ever was some alone time, but I doubted that SHIELD would ever give me that.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?" I hide a smirk, knowing full well that this could be my last interrogation. I already knew the consequences of what I've done. The program had taught me not to look back on it, and not to squeal. "Because of you I have the Council on my ass for bringing in someone like you, and for letting you live."

"Then let me die," I retorted. "I'm not afraid to." Compared to what life I led now, death seemed like a friend.

"I'm very inclined to, Ms. Hirsch," Fury muttered. "But we don't kill, not unless it is necessary. Besides, it seems that killing you is a little impossible."

That made me look at him in surprise. What did he mean by that? Then I remembered all of the times I had been shot. By both Master and that SHIELD agent. Slowly my fists began to clench the more I thought about it. Master had said that it was just a test. And I had passed.

"Then send me to jail; I really don't care," I snapped with a shrug.

"Oh I'm sure you would care," he replied. I'm surprised he's managed to stay this calm so far. "If we were to send you to prison, they would run experiments on you. They would want to know why you're able to survive getting shot in the chest so many times."

I've gone through worse things in life. Fury had no idea what the program put me through. For eight years I went through every means of torture in the book, from being nearly drowned to getting burned until I could no longer handle it. The torture had made me stronger, to the point where I wouldn't break unless forced, and even than I wouldn't spill any secrets.

"Do you understand what SHIELD has to offer you?" he continued when I said nothing. "We offer you not only a home, but protection."

His explanation made me want to laugh. Obviously SHIELD could never provide anything of the sorts. I was safer with Master. I was safer in the program, where I truly belonged. Again I said nothing, only glaring back as Fury let out a sigh of frustration. Thankfully he didn't keep up his charade and left the room.

Once he was gone I was left thinking of what had happened, yet again. I pictured the little girl who's father I just killed hours ago. What would she think when she woke up, if she was alive? I knew all too well what it was like to lose the ones I cared about. I thought back to my own family and what had happened to them. For the first time I felt tears running down my cheeks. Where would I be now if I had been around to help them? What else could I have done?

By the time I realized I was crying, I didn't care. I didn't want to admit that I already was broken. My heart, my mind and my spirit, there was nothing left to fight for. I truly was a worthless figure in this world. And nothing could ever fix the damage I've already caused.

. . .

Director Fury stood between Natasha and Clint, watching with interest as the cameras focused on the girl. For the last few hours she had been quiet. But the moment Fury had left the room she broke down in tears. For the first time Natasha could see that the girl was truly lost. She pitied the girl for that. She knew what it was like to feel as though there was nothing left.

"So, what now?" Clint asked. For once he was oddly quiet, as if unsure what to make of the scene that unfolded before them.

"We let her go, for now," Fury replied. "She needs time to recover, and to think about what she's done."

Natasha glanced over her shoulder back at the monitor. She was thankful the girl kept her face hidden. At least she had some dignity left. Maybe it was time to give the girl some new information, more specifically on her sister. She at least deserved to know that her sister was still alive.

. . .

Annie Hirsch Greyson considered herself a lucky girl.

At age fourteen she had a wonderful family, and was on the verge of getting a part-time job after working as a babysitter for the last two years. Her school records were near flawless. She had plenty of friends she could consider part of her family. Even her date life seemed perfect. She even got into gymnastics a few years ago, and was getting better each day she practiced.

But her perfect life was shattered the moment a little girl was brought in from next door. She was just getting home from practice when she saw her neighbor sitting on the porch. Mom and dad were with the girl, trying to comfort her as she wept.

"What's going on?" Annie asked as she dropped her backpack.

Then she remembered what had happened. The girl's father had been killed a few days ago, murdered along with someone else the day before. Everyone was afraid. There was no telling who the murderer would strike next, and all Annie could picture was the crowd gathered across the street the day the body was found. She quickly pushed the thought away and rushed over to join them.

"Daddy's gone!" the girl wailed as Annie's mother had her arm wrapped around her comfortingly. Annie suddenly remembered that the girl, Sophie, had lost her mother when she was just six. Sympathy for the girl washed over Annie. She knew all too well what it was like to lose the ones she loved.

"It's going to be fine Sophie," Annie's mother reassured her. "Your father's watching over you right now." Annie rolled her eyes when her mother discretely mentioned Heaven. She didn't believe in such things, but her parents were strong church goers and believers. "For now you can stay with us until things have settled down," she added.

"Did you see the picture they got on the newspaper?" dad asked when he looked at Annie. "They managed to get a pic of the murderer."

Annie felt her blood run cold as she took the paper dad had been holding. When she got a glimpse of the picture she recognized it immediately. The same person Iron Man had been chasing that day was on the front page, and it made Annie's stomach twist with anger.

"What sort of heartless monster would do this?" she demanded. Annie already had a horrific idea though of who the murderer could be though. She didn't need to look at the photo twice to recognize the person in it.

The face was hidden, but not enough that Annie couldn't make it out. She recognized the murderer's hair and some facial features that only belonged to one person. But that wasn't what scared her the most. It was the scars she could clearly see in the photo. She had to stop herself from thinking about it, realizing the picture would only cause painful memories to return. That was all in the past, and something she would rather forget, for good.

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**AN: So... here's another update. Thanks Spinosa for reviewing, I really appreciate it! And please let me know what you thought of this chapter, as it was particularly difficult to write. So... yeah. Next update should be in a couple of hours give or take.**


	12. Keep You Locked up Inside Your Past

**Chapter Twelve**

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_"My sweet Lord, desperately, I am alone, and afraid to be My love is gone, so far away I need my sweet Lord's help today..." My Sweet Lord, Crowder_

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The silence was oddly refreshing as I sat there for who knows how long. I've lost track of the time and day all together. And yet I could care less at this point. I was being held captive once again in one of SHIELD's headquarters. To the eyes of Master and everyone else I was nothing more than a failure.

What else did I have to live for? My family was dead, and I would likely be thrown into prison once this was over.

A knock suddenly sounded on my door. Glancing over my shoulder, I resisted the urge to glare as it slowly opened. This time whoever was entering was cautious in their approach. Smart move on their part, but that didn't help make this situation any better.

"I thought you could use something to eat." Natasha's voice drew my attention. She stood behind me, keeping out of sight as she slid a plate of food towards me. I looked at her warily before she handed it to be personally, ignoring the glare. "You must be hungry," she added.

While she was right about that, I was in no hurry to accept for from SHIELD. Who knows what sort of drugs they've put in it? Natasha must have seen the worry in my eyes, because she only smirked in response to my silence.

"It's safe to eat," she reassured me. "I personally made sure of that."

Oh I'm sure she did. I eyed her cautiously before accepting what looked like slop to me. In a matter of minutes I finished my meal, realizing just how hungry I was. It made me wonder just how long I had been stuck in that room. The program had trained hunger out of us well before we were ready for field missions. It was a requirement for anyone out on the field. Sometimes we would go weeks without getting anything to eat, and water was just as rare to find.

Natasha watched me with a look of pity as I sat down the tray. I glared back, knowing full well I didn't need that crap. For all I knew she was just trying to win me over. The thought disgusted me, and yet I was interested in what sort of secrets SHIELD knew about me and the program. Perhaps I could use those secrets against them in the future.

"Thank you," I whispered, avoiding her piercing gaze. It felt like if I did look her in the eyes I would crack under the pressure. Natasha wasn't like Director Fury or even her partner. There was something oddly familiar about her, actually. I couldn't quite place why, but it was unnerving.

"Valerie, I understand that you're afraid," she began after setting the tray aside. "We only want to help you, but we can't do that unless you cooperate with us."

"And once I'm finished you will throw me into prison," I stated bluntly. Natasha only sighed as she looked at me once more. "I don't need your pity. I already know what will happen to me." My voice was full of bitterness as I glared at her once again.

"No, you obviously do not need my pity," she replied. "But you do need help. And we're here to offer that. Just say the word and you won't be strapped to this chair."

I looked at her suspiciously, knowing full well that she could be lying. She only kept on a straight face while I stared, making it all the more difficult to read any emotions. "And what will you do if I choose to offer my assistance?" I asked warily.

"I would give you a second chance at life. SHIELD will give you a chance to redeem yourself for all of the crimes you have committed."

That actually did sound tempting. But I knew that it was just a lie. SHIELD would throw me into prison the moment this was over. Was it worth risking everything, all of the program's secrets only to be thrown into prison? Obviously not. I could think of so many lies I could tell her right now. Though I'm sure that she could easily tell when I'm lying.

"Valerie, I promise on my own life that SHIELD won't put you in prison," Natasha suddenly added. "Even if you don't cooperate with us."

I only looked away as she straightened up and walked towards the door. All I could think of was how to get away and what I would do next. To Master I would now be considered a failure. I was captured twice, and I let the enemy help me.

"Lucky for you my life isn't worth protecting," I muttered under my breath. Natasha stopped in mid walk before looking back at me. "You don't know anything about me... and you never will." The last part was added with so much defiance it would've made Master proud.

Natasha frowned before turning to leave once more, giving me the alone time I needed. I wasn't going to talk, not when I knew no good would come out of talking. All I knew was that one way or another I would get out of this place, even if it meant going against everything I had been trained for.

. . .

"At least she's talking now," Clint stated as Natasha stood beside him. Director Fury had spent most of the morning discussing plans with Agent Hill, much to the pair's annoyance. Natasha knew that Fury would use force if he needed to get the girl to talk. "This can't end well," he added under his breath when both Fury and Hill approached them. Natasha nodded in agreement, but she said nothing.

"Agent Hill's up next," Fury explained. "We need more information on the murders; why send a fourteen year old into battle?" His question left them all feeling uneasy, though Natasha already had a feeling she knew the truth. Younger children were innocent, or so people liked to believe. The program had probably used Valerie because she was so young, and would be less suspicious out in the open.

"Good luck, you'll need it," Clint replied with a smirk. Maria only glared back before heading for the room.

Natasha grimaced at the thought of what Maria would do to the poor kid. She already didn't trust SHIELD or anyone who followed the agency. Agent Hill might only make her realize that she had been right all along.

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**AN: Only just started listening to David Crowder, and have to say his music is amazing! Sounds a bit like Mumford and Sons with a bit of pop flare to it. I really recommend his music if you need some upbeat music on your playlist :) Thanks to ellethwen of lothlorien and Liladrx for reviewing!**


	13. This is a Song For The Broken Girl

**Chapter Thirteen**

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_"I once was lost, but now I'm found, I once was lost, but now I'm found So far away, but I'm home now I once was lost, but now I'm found And now my lifesong sings..." And Now My Lifesong Sings, Casting Crowns_

* * *

Hours seemed to go by once again as I was left in silence. I wasn't alone for long though as the door opened again. Part of me was half-hoping and half-dreading to see whether or not it was Natasha who would interrogate me again. She may be just like all the others, but I can tell that she's trying. She wants to understand why I am doing this to myself, and how she could help. I could see honesty in her eyes when she spoke.

To my disappointment the woman entering my room wasn't Natasha. Instead a different woman stood behind me, hands on her hips as she closed the door shut. I could feel my heart racing as I heard her boots hitting the floor. But to my surprise she doesn't look intimidating. In fact she looked gentle and wary as she observed me.

"Do you know why you are here?" she asked in a formal voice.

"Because SHIELD decided to kidnap me and interrogate me," I replied, keeping my own voice steady. She raised an eyebrow in surprise, as if she wasn't expecting me to speak. I'd been giving these SHIELD agents the silent treatment for so long. I guess it was kind of unexpected for me to talk.

"You killed all of those people," she explained. "If you were caught by the police they would send you to prison, for life. Or worse, give you the death sentence. Some states still uphold that ruling."

"Je ne veux pas que ce (I didn't want this)," I whispered in French. The woman raised an eyebrow as I went on in English, "Your boss told me that I cannot die. Is that true?"

The woman's face fell when I said that. I wanted to know if that Fury guy was right. If what the program had done to me was bringing me back to life, or something along the likes of that. SHIELD would know whether or not it was true. And judging by the keys strapped to the woman's waste, she was one of Fury's closest goons. Maybe she knew more about it than even Natasha or Clint.

"The only way to confirm that is by taking blood samples," she replied after pursing her lips. I noticed how her eyes lit up upon saying that. She was hoping that I would somehow cooperate with her. Mentally I scoffed at her stupidity and decided to play along.

"Very well... I will cooperate. But only if you tell me what they did to me." The coldness in my tone caught her off guard, but she didn't argue. She flashed the cameras looking over us a look, and moments later the door swung open.

Two new SHIELD agents had walked in; one of them was wearing a lab coat and the other was wearing what the woman had on, only they were both male. I noticed for the first time that the man in the lab coat was holding a syringe with a needle at the end. For a moment fear flickered in my gaze before I washed it away. I was not afraid of pointy objects. Master had made that clear when he started experimenting on me.

"It's fine, we just need to take a sample of your blood," the woman reassured me as the agent held me down. I didn't even notice until now that I was struggling. The scientist looked appalled when he saw the scars etched in my skin as he gently rolled up a sleeve. I ignored the sympathetic look the woman gave me and focused on anything but the needle and the pain that followed. It was a pain that I had gotten used to over the past few years. "What did those people do to you?" The woman's question made me glare at her, but I said nothing.

She only sighed and shook her head before following the two agents out, leaving me behind once again. The pain had brought back bitter memories of my time in the program. Master had trained everyone to have the ability to endure pain like that. Every day we would spend hours suffering various methods of torture. When that was finished we would have normal classes that was similar to basic school, only these were advanced lessons.

The classes had taught me how to survive though. According to Master I was the only student to stay as long as I had. Or to live for that matter. Many of the students going through the program were either killed due to the training or killed themselves after their torture sessions. Master had said that only those who are strong enough to survive deserved a place in the program. When we weren't training or taking classes Master would run experiments during our free time. Many of the students I had first met there had not survived those experiments. So far I was the only one to have survived them all.

. . .

"This is impossible." Natasha leaned forward when Bruce spoke up, ignoring the look she was giving him. He had been called in shortly after Valerie was captured. The fact that Bruce was on board left her feeling uneasy, but she pushed aside. He wasn't Hulking out now, and she doubted he would do so anytime soon.

"What's impossible?" Clint asked. Bruce was looking over the blood sample's results. The scientist that had taken it from Valerie had been surprisingly gentle, and Natasha had a feeling he wouldn't have been had Maria not been there.

"The fact that anyone could have survived this," Bruce explained. "The people that did this to her should be brought to justice... this is more than just torture."

"So experimenting on someone and beating the crap out of them isn't just torture?" Natasha flinched when Clint asked that. After spending her time in the Red Room she knew that there were worse things one could do to another.

"Look, no normal human should have survived this," Bruce snapped. It looked like he was ready to Hulk out, but he kept himself calm by taking deep breaths. "She was shot five times right?" When Natasha nodded in response, Bruce looked at her warily. "The point is she could be suffering from both physical and mental trauma. There's no telling what they did to her if she isn't going to talk. She needs more than just someone interrogating her."

Natasha bit the bottom of her lip, suddenly understanding what Bruce was telling them. The girl would never talk unless they provided some kind of reassurance, both mentally and physically. SHIELD was not the right place for them to run an interrogation.

"Director Fury will never let us take her to a safer place," Natasha sighed.

"Then maybe it's time to change that," Clint muttered.

"You mean break the rules?" Bruce looked at them both in surprise.

He never suspected Natasha of all people to do such a thing... Clint on the other hand, he could see doing that.

"When we have no other choice, it's necessary," Natasha replied with a shrug.

This should be interesting. If SHIELD got word of what they were planning, than things could end very badly. Hopefully they could get through with this plan without causing a rift between SHIELD and the Avengers. But Natasha had a feeling that their lives would never be the same again once they left the Hellicarrier.

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**AN: Sorry for the shortness of these chapters. They will get longer, I promise :P Thanks Liladrx for reviewing!**


	14. The One Pushed Aside By The Cold World

**Chapter Fourteen**

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_"Bring your tired, Bring your shame Bring your guilt, Bring your pain Don't you know that's not you're name, You will always be much more to me..." Greater, MercyMe_

* * *

"Knock knock." Two taps sounded on my door, alerting me in an instant. The words triggered a memory I'd rather keep buried. Back at the program other students had done the same thing. Only they would go back for revenge, when they failed in a certain test and I would pass. I can still remember the horrible pain that followed, the feeling of being violated in so many different ways. The memory left me shaking and gasping for breath as the door opened.

"Easy, we're not here to hurt you." It took a while to recognize Natasha's voice. To me it was oddly soothing. The thought sickened me and made me wish there was a way out of this. But here I was strapped to a chair, forced to stare at blank walls for the past who knew how long. "Valerie?" She placed a hand on my shoulder, and I flinched at the touch. This time I could almost feel the worry rolling off of her in waves. Still I said nothing, only focusing on the walls ahead of me as my hands gripped the arms of the chair. Finally she seemed to understand what was going on and called in for help.

Hours seemed to pass before anything happened. Natasha and Clint were sitting nearby, keeping an eye on me. I'm not even sure what was going on until someone walked into the room. The whole time I stayed quiet until now. That was when a horrible scream erupted from my lungs. I couldn't tell when it happened or why it even happened, but it stunned everyone. Luckily for them I was still strapped to a chair, but that didn't stop me from trying to break free from my restraints.

"Interesting." The voice made me stop short as someone walked further inside, not bothering to show themselves as they spoke. "It appears as though you have triggered a memory of some sort." Both Natasha and Clint glared at the stranger, but that didn't stop them from continuing. "She is suffering from a minor panic attack; perhaps giving her some time to recover is the best medicine at this point."

"That looks like more than just a 'minor' panic attack," Clint muttered under his breath.

"Yes well, given the circumstances we are under this is minor compared to what we have seen," the stranger replied. Finally I could tell that the voice was male, and my senses were slowly but surely returning. The stranger sounded a bit too smug for his own good.

"Valerie, can you hear me?" Natasha was speaking again, this time looking directly at me instead of the stranger. When I nodded she looked slightly relieved. But the relief was short-lived as she narrowed her eyes. "What happened?" Her question left me looking away once again.

How the hell was I supposed to tell her everything? I couldn't when SHIELD was watching my every move. And for once a part of me was desperate to tell them what had happened. Something inside me kept screaming not to crack under the pressure. I knew that was the training Master had given me. Never tell the enemies anything. And as far as I was concerned, SHIELD was the enemy. Suddenly Natasha whispered something to Clint, and he was quick to lead the stranger out of the room, leaving us alone together. Moments later and they did something to the security cameras. I looked at them both suspiciously before realizing what they were doing.

"Right now we need to talk as friends, not as SHIELD agents or Avengers," Natasha explained when I understood where this was going. "We want to help Valerie, but we can't do that unless we have your cooperation. Are you willing to come with us without a fight?"

I looked at her in surprise when she said that. Clint didn't look happy with the idea, but he wasn't arguing. They were willing to break the rules just to get me away from here. I wasn't sure whether or not I should believe them, but a new sense of hope suddenly returned. If I did choose to go with them than it would give me a chance to escape. I wasn't sure where I would go afterwords, but it was a chance I was willing to take.

"I will go with you," I finally replied. I was surprised by how hoarse my voice sounded. It must have been from screaming. But I hadn't been screaming for that long, had I? Natasha said nothing more as she approached me. For a moment that urge to fight back returned, but I forced myself to resist. She wasn't going to hurt me. I needed to keep reassuring myself this.

"Clint, kill the alarms," she suddenly whispered. The archer understood what she meant. In a matter of seconds he left the room, returning shortly after disengaging the security system.

"They won't be down for long," he explained.

It was easy to see that these two were used to breaking the rules, especially when Natasha so quickly undid the straps on my chair. The pair worked in silence as Natasha held on to me, leading me through the narrow hallways until we reached the outside.

Behind me I could hear the panicked cries of agents when they realized what was happening. Too late a familiar looking helicopter was waiting for us on the landing pad. The pounding of my heart refused to slow down as we made our way over, Natasha occasionally taking down a few agents as they tried in vein to stop us. My eyes were blinded temporarily by the sunlight, which meant I couldn't get a good view of where we were headed as the helicopter took off a few minutes later.

"Fury's gonna kill us," Clint muttered under his breath. Natasha flashed him an uneasy look but said nothing. All the while I kept quiet and stared out the window, surprised they hadn't blindfolded me this time. Maybe they were trying to make things easier for me, but it wasn't working.

The loud buzzing in my ears continued to annoy me throughout the ride. It was like someone was trying to talk to me, but I couldn't be sure. All I knew was that the buzzing needed to stop. And it felt like the only way for that to happen was to get rid of the eyes keeping watch over me. Natasha finally noticed that something wasn't right and put a hand on my shoulder. With her sitting beside me it was oddly comforting, but the moment she moved was when I instinctively flinched.

"Valerie, everything's going to be okay," she said in a reassuring tone. I flashed her a look that dared her to say that again. I was getting tired of her saying that.

"What makes you so sure of that?" I demanded.

"You may not know it yet, but the Avengers have ways of helping others," she explained. "That is why we decided to take you with us."

"To help me or turn me into one of you guys?" My eyes flashed with outrage at the idea. I was a coldblooded murderer. There was no way in hell anyone would ever accept me as an Avenger.

"You'd make a terrible Avenger," Clint scoffed. Natasha shot him a look that would kill any other man. But from what I gathered Clint Barton was not like any other man.

"No, we want to find out what the program did to you, and possibly put an end to what they are doing to others," Natasha replied, ignoring Clint's remark.

I eyed her curiously, wondering how she thought I would want the program to end. The program had saved my life. Master had saved my life, more than once. He taught me how to survive. I would be nothing without him. These people wanted to take down what made me who I was today, and I would fight back with every ounce of blood I had.

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**AN: Another short chapter, I know, I know... It'll get better, I promise :P Also wanted to thank Spinosa for reviewing! I really do appreciate your efforts, and the fact that you've reviewed every chapter :)**


	15. You Are

**Chapter Fifteen**

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_"I'm alive, Even though a part of me has died You take my heart and breathe it back to life I fall into Your arms open wide, When the hurt and the healer collide..." The Hurt and the Healer, MercyMe_

* * *

"Sir, why did you let them leave?" Maria was standing next to Director Fury; her arms were folded in annoyance as she watched the surveillance video one last time. If word about this got through Council, they'd never let Fury live it down. To top things off the Avengers were now harboring a dangerous criminal, who could possibly be the end of them all. "You know this isn't going to end well, especially with the Avengers involved," she added.

"I have a feeling the Avengers will help the girl, whether or not the Council refuses to believe that," Fury replied. "We need to gain her trust, not break her again. She already hates SHIELD enough as it is."

Maria only nodded in agreement before leaving Fury to himself, knowing full well there was no point in arguing with him. The Director was much like agent Coulson, always having a list of excuses but never proving them to be true or right. She on the other hand was a straight-forward woman. One way or another she would get back to that kid, and she already had some idea of how to make that plan work. First thing was first, look up what was left of the kid's family, and bring them back to SHIELD. Maybe they could talk some sense into the kid when she was brought back.

. . .

The flight only lasted for a few minutes, but it felt like it had lasted for an eternity. My hands were still gripping the seat when Natasha patted me on the shoulder. The helicopter had made a not-so-gentle landing on what looked like a roof. But upon further inspection as I looked out of the window, I noticed that it was a landing pad of some sort on top of a building. Almost at once I recognized where we were as more buildings were dwarfed by the one we now stood on.

"Welcome to Stark Tower, otherwise known now as Avengers Tower." My eyes narrowed when I recognized the man greeting us. The pilot driving the helicopter was quick to take off once more, leaving us to deal with a very arrogant and egotistic Tony Stark. "I see you've brought back my favorite fan," he added in a grin when I glared daggers at him. It took me a few seconds to understand what he meant by that. "So exactly how long do you plan on staying here?" he asked as we followed him inside.

"Until we can get things sorted out," Natasha explained. She glanced at me as I kept quiet, ignoring the looks everyone gave me. "Tony, this is Valerie, Valerie-" I cut her off with a glare. I knew all too well who this man was, and I'd rather not get any closer. Tony Stark was the one who created Iron Man. He was also an enemy of the program as far as I was concerned.

"And the fangirl strikes again," Tony said with an enthusiastic grin. "Come on, there has to be something about me that you like... my tech, my good looks, the money?" He added the last part with a hopeful expression, but I only folded my arms and said nothing. "Seriously? Now you're just breaking my heart." Natasha rolled her eyes while Tony let out a dramatic sigh.

"Tony, enough with the theatrics; are the others here?" Clint muttered. Tony only glared at Clint before shaking his head.

"Capsicle and Banner are here, but Lightning Rod has yet to show up," he replied. "I have a feeling he's suffering from daddy issues at the moment."

My eyes narrowed in suspicion at the names. I recognized Banner as Bruce Banner. The name was well known throughout the program. His research had been used many times in experiments, which only resulted in disaster each time. I was lucky enough to survive those experiments.

We were led to an elevator shortly after a small argument between Natasha and Tony. The look Tony had given her told me that it wasn't a pleasant one. It didn't take long for the elevator to reach it's destination, after going down four floors it made a pinging noise and the doors slid open. What I saw next made my eyes widen in disbelief.

A newly renovated living space with the lower half consisting of several couches and a huge flat-screen TV stood out. Against the wall was a huge bar with all assortments of alcohol. Big surprise there from a guy who could probably afford to buy his own winery. Above me was a loft looking area with stairs leading from either side. The bar was placed underneath the loft, making it look like a hotel receptionist desk.

"Well, you're more than welcome to make yourself at home," Tony said after clasping his hands together. "This place has just about everything you need, from food, shelter, to just about everything under the sun. If you need anything feel free to ask Jarvis." I raised an eye brow before glancing over at Natasha.

"It stands for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System.," she explained. What was with all the acronyms? I rolled my eyes and started exploring the first floor, taking in everything I could. I'm surprised they were giving me this much freedom. I could easily escape if I wanted to, and right now it was a very tempting idea. But being here made me realize what a huge advantage I had to anyone else part of the program.

I could work as a spy and get more information on all of the Avengers. If I played innocent and got along with them it would be easy. All I needed to do was manipulate them long enough to get the information necessary. Master would be overjoyed when he found out what I was planning.

"I'll take you for the grand tour," Tony announced when he was finished talking to Clint and Natasha. I'm sure they were discussing how to improve their security systems now that I was here. Tony had no idea what he was getting himself into. I decided to play along and followed him throughout the building. The two SHIELD agents had stayed behind to keep an eye on things while we were gone. "So, do you not talk much or is that something the program trained out of you?" His next question caught me by surprise.

"We were trained to know when the right time to speak is," I replied icily.

"Damn, you sure have a way with words kid." Tony frowned before showing me around, from the gym to the lab, than to what would be our rooms. "You can choose your own room before we choose ours. Mine is on a separate floor," he explained when we stopped in that hallway. I glanced at him uneasily before walking down towards what seemed like endless choices.

Finally I stopped near a door near the end of the hallway. It was made of light oak wood and had caught my attention immediately. Glancing over my shoulder I quickly opened the door to see what was in the room. What I saw next made me stare in disbelief.

For the most part the room was empty, but near wall was a large queen sized bed with turquoise colored bedding covering it. There were two large windows overlooking the city down below. To my surprise there was even an on suite bathroom and closet. This room reminded me a lot of a hotel room, just from the way it was organized and the view that lay before me. I jumped when I realized that Tony was standing behind me. Quick as lightning my hand lashes out across his cheek, catching him by the nose and causing him to curse under his breath.

"Sorry!" I nearly squeaked.

"No, it's fine," he reassured me, though I could see that he was in pain. "I like having my nose broken by a serial killer."

The words stung. I didn't realize how much they would until now. But he was right. And I wouldn't deny that I was what he had said. Finally Tony decided to ignore it and headed back to the living space, leaving me to catch up.

"What happened?" Natasha's question made me flinch as soon as Tony started complaining.

"She broke my nose!" he groaned as he sat on the couch, rubbing his nose every now and than. "I told you it was too dangerous to have her here!"

Silence followed his words. For a moment I wasn't sure how to react. I was hiding in the hallway, waiting to see what would happen next. But no one said a thing; they neither denied or confirmed his accusation.

I felt a lump form in my throat as I headed back for the rooms. The words had a bigger impact than I realized. Who would've thought that words would hurt someone so much. They did, and now I just felt the urge to get away from it all.

When I reached the room I had in mind I slammed the door shut behind me. I didn't care who would hear or what the consequences of this would be. All that mattered to me now was that I could be alone. And right now that felt more comforting than anything I had faced before.

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**AN: So this chapter was a little longer, and a bit more emotional for Valerie. Did I mention there will be a lot of angst in this? Probably should have. Anywho, big thanks to AmeliaRoseOswald and ellethwen for reviewing! They're always appreciated :D**


	16. Hear Me When I Say

**Chapter Sixteen**

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_"Yeah, isn't it amazing how a man can find himself alone, Call into the darkness for an answer that's he's never known Yeah, isn't it amazing how God can take a broken man, Yeah, let him find a fortune, let him ruin it with his own two hands, And he climbs on up the hill on the rock on which he stands He looks back at the crowd, He looks down at his hands and he says I am a difference maker..." Difference Maker, NEEDTOBREATHE_

* * *

"Jarvis, locate Valerie for me," Natasha ordered as she typed in a few codes. She rolled her eyes when she heard Tony complaining some more about a nose that wasn't even broken. He was only making the situation worse by complaining. And of course he didn't realize how hurtful his words could be to someone like Valerie.

"As you wish, Agent Romanoff." She waited as patiently as she could for the AI to find the girl, until finally a video screen popped up on the monitors. Natasha narrowed her eyes when she saw that Valerie had chosen a room of her own to stay in. The girl was curled up with her arms wrapped around her legs in a corner in the room. She held back a sigh of frustration before writing down the room number and thanking Jarvis.

With that task finished she headed for the room Valerie was hiding in. Clint was still with Tony, only half listening to his complaints. Natasha used the temporary distraction to see whether or not she could reach out to Valerie. It didn't take her long to reach the hall that led to the multiple rooms that would eventually belong to the other Avengers, as Tony had said to everyone.

She paused before knocking on the door that led to Valerie's new room. When there was no answer she took the initiative and opened the door. What she saw next made her heart twist with pity, something she never expected to happen with anyone.

Valerie was still curled up in the corner, only this time Natasha could hear a soft whimpering sound coming from the girl. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was crying. Carefully Natasha knelt down and wrapped her arms around Valerie, knowing full well she could still turn on Natasha if she wanted to. This was an entirely experience to Natasha; she had never dealt with children before like this. It wasn't something she had been trained for.

"Valerie, it's okay," she whispered in a gentle voice, trying to soothe the younger girl. "You didn't hurt him, he was just acting... over dramatic," she added when Valerie made no response.

"Er hat Recht." Natasha looked down at Valerie in surprise. That was German. Then she remembered that Valerie's last name was German. She wondered if that was Valerie's first language.

"We wouldn't have brought you here if we didn't trust you," Natasha reassured her. Valerie only buried her face in her knees once again and muttered something under her breath. Natasha held back a sigh of frustration and thought of something else that would lift Valerie's already broken spirits. "Valerie, there's something I'd like to tell you, something I've only shared with two other people in this world," she began.

Natasha paused, realizing just how much pain this was bringing to her. She had never told anyone about the Red Room except for Clint and Director Fury. Only Clint knew just how much torture the Red Room had put her through. She fought back the overwhelming fear and reminded herself that she was afraid of nothing. The Black Widow feared _nothing_, and everyone feared _her_.

"When I was your age I went through a program known as the Red Room," she began. "The Red Room was a program similar to the one you went through." That familiar sense of dread washed over Natasha as she mentioned the torturous training she went through. "They trained me to become the Black Widow, their perfect soldier. And the Red Room was able to brainwash anyone." This time Valerie stirred and looked at Natasha with a horrified expression. "They trained me to become a killer, a cold blooded murderer. For a while their brainwashing worked. I was sent on countless missions, and each time I would succeed."

Valerie's eyes lit up with recognition when Natasha stopped. Memories she had kept buried deep in the back of her mind were slowly coming back to haunt her. There was a reason Natasha didn't tell anyone else about her past. They would not hesitate to lock her up in prison for the rest of her life.

"How did you break free?" Valerie's question caught Natasha by surprise. She had been so quiet that Natasha was afraid she had lost her voice. Natasha bit the bottom of her lip and thought of what to say next. It had taken years to break free. And even when she did break free she had become an assassin for hire after escaping from Russia. Eventually Natasha decided to tell her the truth, at least the truth that she could handle.

For a while they sat there in silence. Valerie wasn't sure what to say, and Natasha was struggling to fight back the nightmares that were returning. They both went through traumatic parts of their lives. And maybe the best thing they could do now was help each other pull through.

. . .

"Is this gonna scar?" Tony's voice echoed through the hall as Natasha helped me to my feet.

"No, but I can give you one if you keep it up." Tony's eyes widened when Natasha spoke up, glaring daggers at him.

We were standing near the living space, and to my surprise there were two other men standing around Tony and Clint. I recognized Bruce almost instantly from the files we had on him, but the other one was unfamiliar to me. His eyes widened when he saw me for the first time.

"You okay kid?" Clint's question caught me off guard, and I hadn't noticed his approach as he stood beside Natasha. I didn't say anything. Natasha only gave him a knowing look, and he nodded in understanding. "Now that almost everyone's here, it's time for introductions," he added as Tony straightened up from his slouched position.

"This is the kid you were talking about?" Bruce asked. He ruffled the back of his hair in confusion and concern.

"I have a name," I muttered under my breath. "Valerie Hirsch." Bruce reached out first and shook my hand. There was no sympathy in his eyes like I was expecting. All I saw now was respect, and maybe even fear.

"I was the one who studied your blood samples," he explained. I could almost hear the guilt in his voice.

After spending so long in the program I had gotten used to people taking blood samples and looking it over.

"Captain Steve Rogers," the other guy introduced himself. He was avoiding eye contact as he reached out a hand.

"Otherwise known as Capsicle," Tony put in.

Steve let out a small sigh of annoyance at Tony's jibe. It seemed like I wasn't the only one who was annoyed with Tony. It took me a few seconds to realize who Steve Rogers really was. To the program he was infamous. The serum used on him was one that everyone tried replicating. And the program only had a small amount of paperwork based off of what was used in the serum.

"Valerie is going to stay with us until we find out more information on whatever this program is," Natasha explained, ignoring Tony's jibe.

"And what exactly is the name of the program?" Steve asked. Natasha looked down at me, but I only shook my head. Even I didn't know that answer. "So we have no leads."

"Not necessarily," Clint pointed out. "We do have her. And whoever did this to her will obviously want her back." I rolled my eyes when I realized he wasn't even using my name.

To make matters worse, or better in their case, they were using me as the bait. I knew full well the program would try to take me down for betraying it. To them I was nothing but a failure that needed to be taken out of the equation.

"So what do we do until than?" Bruce asked. All eyes fall on me, and I held back a sigh of frustration.

"I'm not here to make friends," I muttered crossly. "As soon as this is over I'll be thrown into prison. That's obviously what SHIELD wants, considering the crimes I've committed."

There were no sympathetic looks; I wasn't expecting them. Natasha only pursed her lips while Clint folded his arms and shook his head. The others gathered in the room looked at one another with worried expressions.

"We don't know for sure what SHIELD will do with you," Natasha pointed out. "There's a possibility we may take you in as an agent."

The hope in her voice made me sick. There was no way in hell I'd find myself stuck as a SHIELD agent. I'm already stuck here; I could easily escape if I wanted to, but where would that put me? I'd be out on the streets and an easy target.

So for now I would have to lay low. I had a feeling the program would be looking for me. And I didn't want to know what Master would do to me once this was over. I shuddered at the thought.

"Let's get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day, and we'll need to get to know one another." Steve eyed me warily before standing up, nodding towards Bruce in the process, who only shrugged.

I hated admitting that he was right. Exhaustion quickly crept in, and it took me a few moments to realize how long I had gone without getting any sleep. The program had trained sleep out of me, but I still needed it. Especially if I wanted to escape.

With that being said and done I wasted no time in reaching my room, ignoring the looks everyone was giving me. I knew they didn't trust me. They probably never would. But that didn't matter to me. All I needed to do was bide my time and think of some kind of plan.

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**AN: Guess who's back? So this chapter was a little longer. Not by much but they're getting better :) And a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially Larnise, Silmarilz1701 and AmeliaRoseOswald for reviewing! You guys are amazing :D**


	17. You're Not The Worthless

**Chapter Seventeen**

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_"Don't let the situation get to you, This is not a hill worth dying on Don't let these circumstances tear your heart in two, Soon enough this chapter will be gone What's insurmountable today, Will surely one day fade away..." Only Temporary, MercyMe_

* * *

It was still late when my eyes opened. I wasn't sure what had alerted me, but I knew that it wasn't good. Almost at once I threw the sheets off of my bed and went to the window that overlooked the city. Something didn't feel right.

That familiar ringing in my head had returned. Master's voice, a voice I had become so familiar with, seemed to echo through my mind.

'_My little pet..._' I shuddered at the words. Strangely enough it was soothing to hear his voice. It reminded me that the program was looking out for my best interests. Master always had a plan. He wasn't going to let me become one of SHIELD's puppets. '_You have done well to get this far_.' My eyes widened when I realized that Master actually was speaking to me. How the hell was that possible? '_Do not be alarmed, pet. The serum we gave you allows me to communicate with you_.'

Serum. The word made my fists clench. It made me sound like I was some kind of freak. Then again I probably was compared to the rest of the people in this tower. They didn't have the amount of scars that I did covering my body. They weren't treated like some kind of experiment.

'_You've managed to infiltrate both SHIELD and the Avengers. No one in the program has lived long enough to tell the tale_,' Master continued. '_I have been watching _everything_ through your eyes, and I have one last mission for you_. _Should you accept this mission, I will grant you the one thing you desire most: Your freedom_.'

I could feel my heart racing at the thought. My _freedom_? Before I could contemplate over what he meant by that, an overwhelming pain fired through my body. I forced back a scream of agony as I collapsed to the floor, my body shaking violently from the force.

'_From where I stand I can kill you with the touch of a button_.' Master's voice shook my back to reality. The pain was starting to fade, leaving behind a stinging feeling, like a thousand needles poking my body. '_If you do not accept this mission, I will make sure that your death is slow and painful_, pet.'

What in the name of God just happened? I was struggling to stand now, facing the window once more. Right now at that moment, the street down below was beginning to look very inviting. If I ignored Master's order he could kill me from the inside out. I had no other choice. It was accept the mission or face a death that I likely deserved anyways.

'_I want you to take down SHIELD, from the inside. With SHIELD destroyed the Avengers will have no reason to exist, and we can move on with our final plan_.' This time my heart sank at the thought of doing as he instructed.

How was I supposed to take down SHIELD? It was a huge organization full of spies who likely already knew what I was up to. If any one of them found out about this, they would throw me into prison in a heartbeat.

Suddenly the pain I felt earlier returned, this time stronger than ever. My teeth ground together as I finally let out a scream. The world around me was beginning to spin out of control. It wasn't until I felt a pair of hands touching my shoulders that the pain stopped, almost instantly. The contact left me feeling dizzy, and I realized that Master's voice was no longer with me. For a while I just sat there, huddling against the wall with my arms wrapped around my legs.

"Valerie." I jumped at the sound of Natasha's voice. Glancing up I noticed that she must have been alerted by the sounds. There was no sympathy in her eyes, only concern. "What happened?" she asked, her voice taking on a gentle tone I was unaccustomed to.

"Please, kill me now!" Natasha's eyes widened when I shouted that, not realizing what I had said. I didn't care who I said it to at this point. If anything could save me from what I had to do next, it was death.

Natasha grabbed my hand before I could push her aside. "Valerie, you need to tell me what happened." She spoke in an eerily calm voice, but I could see fear and recognition in her eyes. It was the first time I had ever seen her afraid. Than again I hardly knew her.

My lips pursed as I tried forming a proper sentence. Even if I could tell her what happened I wouldn't.

"Why can't you just make this easier and kill me?" I demanded, my voice becoming cold once again. "That's what SHIELD wants anyways, it's what I deserve!" Natasha stared at me in alarm, but she didn't say a word. Instead she stood up and looked back down at me.

"Valerie, even if SHIELD wanted you dead it isn't possible. Whatever the program did to you is making it so that you can't die. Remember how many times you were close to death?" I nodded solemnly at the memories, picturing my body laying on the ground as I was shot at and carried off seconds later. I may not remember much but I could see that happening, especially when I found myself back at the program.

"There has to be a way," I whispered. I could feel my voice getting weaker though. A combination of shock and exhaustion was overwhelming me. Natasha placed a hand over my shoulder, keeping me steady as I struggled to stand. "If anyone knows a way out of this, it's Stark and Banner."

. . .

"She's stable, for the moment," Natasha sighed as she sat down on the sofa. It had been a long night. Most of her time was spent with Valerie, trying to calm the girl and coax her into sleep. Unfortunately whatever had attacked Valerie was haunting her now. The progress they had made on her went back to square one.

"See, this is why she doesn't belong here," Tony grumbled. Pepper was at his side on the bar, glaring at him once again. She had joined them that night after spending a week fixing a mess Tony had made in his company. Thankfully most of the mess was taken care of, but there was still a lot that needed to get finished. "I mean, we hardly know anything about her and she already tried killing me once."

"Has it ever occurred to you that not everything is about you?" Clint muttered under his breath. Tony only stuck out his tongue, which earned a punch from Pepper on the shoulders.

"When exactly did SHIELD get their hands on someone like her?" Pepper asked warily. She had only been given minor information on Valerie, such as her age and where she came from.

"Let's just say Iron Man had something to do with it," Tony replied with a chuckle. Pepper punched him in the arm once again. Natasha rolled her eyes at the couple and looked back at the balcony that looked over the city.

Valerie was hiding something from them. That something could end up becoming very dangerous for both them and SHIELD. The fact that she had been in an intense amount of pain only increased Natasha's worries. She wanted to help the girl, more than she admitted. Valerie reminded her so much of herself.

"Clint, maybe you could try talking to her." His eyes widened in disbelief when Natasha looked at him. She was dead serious. "Look, I can't keep up this act forever. You're better at talking to kids than I am, especially kids like her."

She failed to mention the fact that Clint was the one who had saved her life on several occasions. That wasn't for the entire room to hear. Tony already knew more about her past than she liked, and one day she would get back at him for that. But now wasn't the time.

"I'm not exactly sure what talking is going to do," Clint replied with a shake of his head. "It's obvious she doesn't want to be here." Natasha only eyed Clint warily, which made him sigh in frustration. "Alright fine, I'll talk to her. But I'm sure as hell this isn't going to work."

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**AN: So here's the next chapter, sorry it took a while! I've been a bit busier than usual. Plus I'm trying to limit how often I'm online, which doesn't help much :P Big thanks to larnise and AmeliaRoseOswald for reviewing! You guys are awesome :)**

**larnise - Thank you, I'm glad that you're enjoying it so far. And I'm not giving anything away :P You'll have to keep reading to find out!**


	18. They Made You Feel

**Chapter Eighteen**

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_"I'm tired of the waiting, For the end of all days. The prophets are preaching, That the gods are needing praise. The headlights are coming, Showing me the way. The serpents are singing, A song that's meant to say..." End Of All Days, 30 Seconds To Mars_

* * *

My hands were shaking as I reached the doorknob. Just twist and turn, it was that simple. But what followed wouldn't be.

I've never been to a proper gym in my life. The training that the program had to offer was much more dangerous than your average gym. There you could die if you made a wrong move. We were forced to train there every day, until our bones were screaming in protest.

Currently it was only six in the morning. From what I gathered everyone else was still asleep. I didn't get much sleep after having Master's voice ringing through my mind that night. Raw determination had surged through me at that moment. Master had given me the ultimate choice: Freedom or death.

With a sigh of frustration I pushed my way forward. I hated making decisions for myself. SHIELD had offered me something the program had never given me: A second chance at life. It was something I had never thought anyone would give me. I was nothing but a murderer and petty thief. To the eyes of anyone else I was just a monster.

My eyes widened when I got inside. The gym was like nothing I had ever seen.

A boxing ring stood in the center of the room. Weight equipment was placed against the wall, along with several exercise machines such as treadmills and cross-trainers. I looked to the left and saw what looked like a gymnastics area, along with targets lined against a windowless wall. To my right the room itself was surrounded by large glass windows. This was nothing like the gym I was trained in at the program.

I decided to start with the punching bags. Maybe I could take out my frustration on them. Better the punching bag than one of the Avengers. I'd already made an enemy with Tony Stark.

After putting on a pair of gloves to protect my hands (not that I needed them), I started swinging my fists into the punching bag. Each swing sent the bag flying in the opposite direction. From left to right to back and forward. The force of my punches made the poll holding the back shake, and it felt oddly good. At least here I didn't have someone telling me what to do or what I was doing wrong. There was no one here to judge my work.

"Having fun?" The bag swung towards the intruder speaking, and I felt my blood run cold when I recognized him. Clint stood between me and the punching bag. His arms were folded in annoyance as he observed me, waiting for me to make the wrong move.

"Are you here to yell at me too?" I demanded, my voice barely a whisper. The punching bag swung harder this time, nearly knocking Clint over in the process. Thankfully though he caught it just in time.

"Actually I'm here to talk." My shoulders stiffened at the mention of just 'talking'. I highly doubted that was what he had in mind. Clint pulled the bag back before I could assault it any further. Annoyance flared within me when he locked gazes with me. "Do you wanna tell me what the hell happened back there?"

I knew he was going to ask that. With a sigh of frustration I slammed a fist into the punching bag. What was I supposed to tell him? That someone was controlling my actions from the comfort of a chair far away? That they could kill me with a single push of a button? I'm sure that would go over wonderfully with these SHIELD agents.

"It's... complicated," I sighed after letting the punching bag rest once more. I could feel Clint's searching gaze burning right through me. He knew there was more to it than that. "Have you ever wanted to die, and someone won't let you?" The question should have worried these people. But for some reason they seemed unfazed by the fact that all I wanted was for this to end already.

Clint only shrugged and swung a fist into the punching bag, sending it flying towards me. I dodged to the side and punched bag, twisting so that the bag aimed towards the right this time. He actually looked impressed as I managed to dodge each blow he delivered through the punching bag, making this look easy. Anyone with well-toned muscles could do this.

"Believe it or not, I have," he muttered. I only stared at him in disbelief as he stopped the punching bag from swaying. "Back before I joined SHIELD... life got to the point where I just wanted it to end. But someone stopped me in time, gave me a second chance. SHIELD could do the same for you."

I was almost disgusted by the hope in his voice. Did he really expect me to join SHIELD just like that? After all the headaches they've caused? To top things off I still had Master and the program to worry about. Right now SHIELD was the least I had to worry about.

"Nice chatting with you," I said with a shrug. Before I could leave he grabbed me by the arm. Without warning I reached over and grabbed him by the wrist with my free hand. No words were exchanged, only a determined look that told me this was far from over. I twisted my arm so that his would turn at an awkward angle, the pain making it so that he would have to let go. To my surprise he did nothing, only staring back with that same determined look.

"Kid, I'm gonna be honest with you." I rolled my eyes when he sighed in frustration, releasing his grip on my arm. "You should count yourself lucky that SHIELD hasn't thrown you into their highest security. There's no telling what they'd do to you there."

I was about to say something when I thought better of it. I knew what he was trying to do. Scaring me into listening wasn't going to help. I've been threatened worse during my time in the program. This was nothing compared to that.

"I think I'll take my chances," I snapped.

Before he could say anything else I turned and left. If I was going to hack into the secure files, I would need to do this alone. I'm sure SHIELD had an easy way to access it's files. Of course that meant it would be heavily guarded, but I could handle anything they threw at me.

. . .

"It's not fair!" Sophie's crying was beginning to drive Annie crazy. They had been caring for her for the last few days now. She still hadn't gotten over her parents' death. Annie didn't think she ever would. But she knew all too well what it was like to lose everything. Carefully she leaned down and squeezed the girl's hand gently with her own. Sophie looked at her in surprise, eyes red from all the crying she had done that morning.

"You know, they'll be watching over you now Sophie," she whispered, remembering what her mother had said. She may not believe in Heaven or God, but that wasn't going to stop her from letting the girl have some comfort. She at least deserved that much.

"But what if they're not?" Sophie wailed. Annie let out a sigh of relief when she was joined shortly after by her parents. Mom and dad had gone grocery shopping earlier that morning while the two of them were sleeping in, since it was a Saturday.

"Of course they are Sophie," mom said in a soothing tone. "Annie, can we talk with you outside?" Mom looked back at dad, who looked pointedly at Sophie. The girl only looked down at the floor when she realized what was happening.

Annie gave the girl's hand another gentle squeeze before following her parents outside. The warm ocean breeze hit her almost immediately as she closed the door shut behind her. Mom and dad were standing in front of her when they started talking again.

"Annie, your father and I have been discussing this for a while now," mom began. "We're going to adopt Sophie."

"Mom, that's great news!" Annie couldn't help but feel thankful for that. Even though she wasn't looking forward to sharing a room, she couldn't just let Sophie out on the streets. She knew all too well what it was like to be alone with no hope or future. "When are you telling her?"

"We're telling her tonight at dinner," dad replied, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. Annie couldn't hide the smile that was threatening to overwhelm her. She knew that if it was up to her she would have adopted Sophie in a heartbeat. "Annie, there's something else we have to tell you," dad added, his voice suddenly getting serious. Annie looked up at him warily as he exchanged a look with mom.

"Sophie made an accurate recount of who attacked her parents," mom explained. "The detective sent us a copy of the picture they sketched." Worry clouded Annie's thoughts as mom pulled out the file in question. She glanced between moment and dad before looking back down at the file. "You don't need to look at it right away but... we thought you should take it."

Unease crawled through Annie when she realized what mom meant by that. Mom knew something was wrong. Annie tried shaking the uneasy feeling off as she followed them inside. Maybe when she was ready she would look at the picture. But she knew that if she looked now, her life would forever be changed. And not for the better.

* * *

**AN: Thought it was time for a much-needed update. Sorry for the delay :( But I did want to thank Spinosa and larnise for reviewing! You guys are awesome! :D**


	19. There Is a Love They Can Never Steal

**Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

_"When the cold wind's a a-calling And the sky is clear and bright, Misty mountains sing and beckon, Lead me out into the light I will ride, I will fly Chase the wind and touch the sky, I will fly Chase the wind and touch the sky..." Touch The Sky, Julie Fowlis_

* * *

"Not much is known about this murder mystery, other than the fact that the murderer is in SHIELD's hands at the moment. We'll bring you more coverage as the story develops." Tony turned off the television once the news report was over. Everyone sitting on the sofa or bar were watching the TV skeptically until the story was over. No one was sure what to do or say at that point. Especially me. All I could do was stare until I felt someone jab me in the ribs.

With one swift movement I had whirled around, kicking Clint aside and pinning him to the floor after twisting his wrist. He didn't even glare at the fact that I had just tackled him. To my surprise he only smirked and kicked back, using the full strength of his legs to push me off balance.

"And that's how you take care of the enemy," he replied with a huge grin. I only glared back as the other Avengers gathered around us. Natasha shot both Clint and I wary looks, as if she was expecting us to continue our fight. Part of me longed to keep it up, but I knew better. Both he and Natasha were master assassins, much higher up in the game compared to myself. I figured I still had at least ten more years of intense training before I reached their level.

"Fury wants us to meet with him," Natasha explained. "Apparently he's found out more information about the program." She nodded to me, and I could only look away in response. What else was there to say at this point?

I grabbed my duffel bag that I had placed in my room before heading out with the others. Fury and the rest of SHIELD had been working to find out more information on the program. Apparently it was on his 'must-do' list, or something along those lines.

A quinjet was already waiting for us on the landing pad outside the building. Luckily Clint was piloting the thing, making me feel safer already. So far everything was running smoothly. I stayed in the back of the jet with Natasha watching me like a hawk. Tony flew beside us in his Iron Man suit. Steve sat in the cockpit next to Clint while Bruce sat in the middle. This little plane ride reminded me so much of what a family must look like.

It's been years since I've seen what an actual family looks like. I almost missed those days when I would come home and see my parents and my sister. I often wondered what my life would have been like had I not gotten home that day. Had I been around to protect my family. My fists suddenly tightened at the thought.

"We're here." Clint's voice brought me back to reality, making me jump slightly. Natasha must have noticed the sudden change in my attitude.

The quinjet landed nicely on the parking pad; I noticed that the Hellicarrier itself was floating just above the city of New York. From this view I could see just about everything. From Stark Tower to the OsCorp building, to even the Baxter building a few blocks away.

Director Fury was waiting for us outside alongside agent Maria Hill. I remembered her from my first visit to the Hellicarrier. That wasn't too long ago from now, but I could see that she still didn't trust me. The wary look in her eyes told me everything I needed to know.

"We have a lot to talk about," Fury explained as he greeted everyone. "Let's go inside to talk."

. . .

"The program is just another term for the Red Room." Natasha stiffened at the mention of the Red Room. I looked at Fury warily as he went on describing how it was plausible. "According to the intel we gathered thanks to one of our agents, the Red Room has expanded in both size and skill. You aren't the only one to have gone through their training." I nodded in agreement, remembering the other students I had seen wandering down to their next classes.

Again I noticed that Natasha looked oddly pissed off. No, pissed might be the wrong description. Maybe worried, anxious or a little bit of everything. It was hard to describe. Something about the Red Room had set her off. Then I suddenly remembered the pain the Red Room had inflicted on her during her time as Natalia Romanova. She had changed her name just to get away, and she had betrayed them by joining SHIELD.

"You broke free of their control... how?" Clint asked the question this time, his expression suddenly very serious. I didn't miss the look he exchanged with Natasha. It was a knowing look, that would probably lead me into getting my ass kicked if I asked anything.

I looked down at the table we were sitting at on the bridge. Everyone in the room was watching us, or more accurately me. I knew they were waiting for me to try and escape. Just by looking at their wary gazes I could tell they didn't trust me, and understandably so. I tried recalling how I managed to break free, and suddenly realized that I never had.

The program, or the _Red Room_... there was nothing I had done to break free of their control. I could still remember the voices swarming in my head just days ago. It felt like someone was telling me what to do, whispering orders that made me _want_ to do as I was told.

"I don't know," I admitted. Suddenly I felt guilty. Why should I? These people would likely throw me into prison once this was all over. It was what I deserved for what I did. I couldn't help but stiffen when Natasha put a hand on my shoulder. Sudden understanding was written all across her face.

"Sir, why don't you let us talk for a while," she suddenly spoke up. Fury looked like he was ready to argue when he thought better of it. He pinched the bridge of his nose before nodding in agreement.

"Alright, but make it quick. You can use the interrogation room," he replied. Natasha nodded at him thankfully before we all stood up. I wasn't sure what to make of her sudden change in attitude, but I could only think it wouldn't be anything good. Either way I figured I was in trouble. And the Red Room was suddenly the least of my worries.

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**AN: I finally got this chapter finished! And of course it's ridiculously short... sorry about that :( Next one will hopefully be longer, but I'm not making any promises. I also wanted to thank AmeliaRoseOswald and larnise for reviewing! You guys are awesome!**

**larnise - You're more than welcome to use the idea. So many other people have already used it before me, so you wouldn't be the first one to use it. Thanks again for reviewing!**

**AmeliaRoseOswald - Thank you!**


	20. And You Don't Have to Stay

**Chapter Twenty**

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_"Shoulder to shoulder, now brother, we carry no arms, And the blind man sleeps in the doorway his home If only I had an enemy bigger than my apathy I could have won..." I Gave You All, Mumford and Sons_

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We were sitting in a separate room, with the door locked behind us and the cameras all offline. Natasha had hacked into the system's security mainframe, much to my surprise, and shut them off manually. I was even more surprised that SHIELD hadn't stepped in to stop them. If this went south it could end badly. I was still viewing my options of escape routes, and the only ones I could see so far were the air vents that were almost impossible to reach. _Almost_.

Natasha sat down on the chair in front of me, while Clint pulled out another one and sat beside her. The two shared a knowing look, one that made me wonder what the hell was going on.

"Valerie, how much do you know about the Red Room?" Natasha's question caught me by surprise. Glancing up at her I noticed not for the first time how worried she looked.

"Not much," I admitted with a simple shrug.

It wasn't true, of course. The Red Room had been mentioned several times during our history classes in the program. Natasha had also been mentioned several times as a traitor to the Red Room. Her formal name was Natalia Romanova. The name Natalia had been banned from Russia due to what had happened to her all those years ago. But the people never forgot. It left a bitter sting in their hearts that fueled the hateful stories we often heard.

"The Red Room was an organization that trained young children to become master assassins and spies," Natasha explained after pursing her lips. I raised an eyebrow when I noticed how shaky she looked. It must still be a touchy subject for her. "We thought that the Red Room was disbanded all those years ago." Finally she looked down at the floor, Clint gently squeezing her hand as if he knew what she was thinking.

I knew there was more to the story than that. But I didn't dare press any further. Any wrong word might trigger an attack from the opposing spy. Natasha quickly stole herself again when it looked like she was ready to break down. I doubted she ever cried in public, or in front of anyone. If she did only Clint would ever have seen that happen. To me it seemed like those two were as close as partners could get.

"The program you were trained in sounds eerily similar to the Red Room," Clint explained when an awkward silence filled the room. "Who did you say your teacher was?" That made me jerk up slightly.

No one knew his name. Everyone always referred to him as Master. I bit the bottom of my lip before trying to find the right answer. In all honesty there was no good answer to his question. I was afraid the wrong answer would only make them want to throw me into prison.

"I don't know." My mouth felt dry as a headache began throbbing at the back of my head. I remembered those days in the tower where my head would feel like someone was talking to me. And this time it sounded louder than ever.

_Kill them_. The voice screamed in my head, causing me to clasp my hands over my ears in a desperate attempt to silence it. The pair stared at me in alarm when my hands started shaking. It felt sounded like the voice kept getting louder and louder, to the point where there was no escaping it. Finally the voice started to fade away, leaving a dull pain in the back of my head. I could still hear that voice; it sounded so much like Master's.

"Valerie, we may need to take some blood samples to find out the extent of what the program has done to you," Natasha spoke up once again. I looked up at her, feeling a moment of panic before trying to calm myself down.

No. They only wanted to hurt me. I could see it now, that questioning look in their eyes. They were debating whether or not it was safe to keep me around. I wouldn't let them throw me into prison, not if I could fight back.

"Careful Nat, she's shutting down," Clint said in a warning tone, causing me to flinch once more. I couldn't help it. The pain from earlier suddenly felt stronger than before. Natasha was about to reach out and take my hand when I pushed her arm aside. It was purely a reflex, I wanted to tell myself. But I knew that something else had caused me to suddenly strike out.

A scream suddenly escaped from my lungs as I leaped forward. Neither of them have a chance to react, but Natasha grabbed me by the wrist just in time as I tried taking them both down at once. It was a suicide attempt at attacking them. And yet I couldn't stop myself. Natasha held me down until I stopped struggling, a stern look flashing in her eyes.

"Valerie, you have to fight it," she whispered. "They're going to do everything they can to gain control of you. I know that it's painful, I've been there." I could almost hear the pain in her voice as she recalls memories she'd kept buried for years.

"How?" The word was barely a whisper, but Natasha heard it loud and clear. "How do I fight it?" My teeth ground together as another wave of pain followed. Natasha held me down with a strong grip as I struggled to break free. All the while Clint was watching from a safe distance, having realized what was happening.

"Think of something, anything other than what they did to you," she replied.

I stop short as memories of my own past came rushing back. For a while I was frozen on the spot, trying to recollect any of the good memories that I had before the program started. I realized that before joining the program for a short while I _was_ actually happy. It may not have been a perfect family, but I loved them. My mother, father and even my sister. Tears started blurring my vision as I thought of them, picturing their smiles at a family picnic in the park.

Finally Natasha released her grip and let me up. My hands stopped shaking, and the pain had suddenly gone away. The moment I thought of my family was when the voices went away. And for the first time in years, my mouth twisted in the faintest of smiles. But the tears were still falling, and I found myself burying my face into Natasha's shoulder, trying to hide all of the emotions overwhelming me.

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**AN: I apologize if Clint and Natasha seem out of character in this chapter. I tried making it seem as realistic as possible, so let me know what you thought of it. And I feel like that song fits Valerie perfectly. Mumford and Sons at their best! Thank you Spinosa and CodeRed13 for reviewing!**


	21. The Broken Girl

**Chapter Twenty One**

**WARNING: This chapter contains mentioned suicide attempts and blood.**

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_Come out of sadness From wherever you've been, Come broken hearted Let rescue begin Come find your mercy Oh sinner come kneel, Earth has no sorrow That heaven can't heal, Earth has no sorrow That heaven can't heal So lay down your burdens Lay down your shame, All who are broken Lift up your face, Oh wanderer come home You're not too far, So lay down your hurt Lay down your heart Come as you are..." Come As You Are, Crowder_

* * *

After what had happened in the room Natasha and Clint called for a team meeting in one of the debriefing rooms. Fury was still pissed that they had shut off communication in that room. More than anyone else he wanted to see how the girl would react to Natasha's story. Even he didn't know the full extent of it. Barton was the only one she had ever confided what the Red Room had done to her, and he refused to tell anyone.

"She's afraid she might hurt someone else," Natasha announced as the team gathered into the room. Bruce sat beside Tony, while Steve sat next to Clint. Natasha was on Clint's other side while Fury sat in the front of the table, hands resting on his chin as he listened. "She refused to leave the room after what happened."

"What exactly _did_ happen Natasha?" Steve had the courage to ask.

Natasha ran a hand through her hair as she thought of how to explain what just occurred in that room. She would have to tell them how the Red Room had controlled her. The program Valerie was part of seemed to be doing the same thing, only it wasn't as effective.

"The program she's part of is trying to control her," she explained warily. "Whatever methods they used isn't working, at least effectively."

"She's just a kid." Finally Tony scowled in disgust, remembering the way he had treated her at the tower. Mostly he was disgusted with the program; he still blamed her for what she did to his nose. The 'program' as she called it couldn't have been controlling her than.

"A kid who was trained to kill," Fury pointed out. "Remind me again why we haven't sent her to the Freezer?" The glare Natasha gave him would have sent anyone else scurrying back to their little holes. Fury remained stoic about it though as he ignored the piercing gaze.

"Because Tony's right, she is just a kid," Steve reminded him. "Maybe there's a way to find the program through her and a shut it down."

Fury only let out a sigh of frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose. People would want to see justice for what she had done. She had already murdered more than once, and those were only the known victims. Who knew what other crimes she had committed before it got out to the public?

"I'd like a blood sample from her, if that's possible," Bruce spoke for the first time. His voice held an edge to it that made everyone in the room uncomfortable. If he Hulked out now their lives and everyone on the Hellicarrier were in danger.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Steve asked.

"I think I can handle it," Bruce replied.

Getting a blood sample might prove them some good at this point. They needed to figure out what was going on with Valerie before finding the program. She had already survived getting shot three times, and who knew how many others times she had almost been killed. No normal human could survive something like that.

"Just make sure you know what you're getting yourself into," Fury warned him. "If anything happens you're going into that containment cell we built for the Other Guy."

Bruce only nodded in agreement, having come to terms with the fact that the prison was built to protect everyone here. If needed he would go there, hopefully before the Other Guy took over.

Slowly the team departed as Bruce went over to the medical bay to pick up a syringe. It wasn't like he carried those things with him where ever he went. Not only was that dangerous but it would likely scare people more than help them.

Natasha had already told him which room Valerie was being kept in, so finding it wouldn't be a problem. Thankfully it didn't take him long to reach the interrogation room. To his surprise the door was still unlocked, than he mentally slapped himself. Natasha had said that she wanted to be kept in that room. They didn't say that she was locked in it like the room was a prison. Though to her it probably was a prison.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly opened the door, careful not to alarm her. That's when Bruce nearly lost it.

Upon entering the room he knew that something wasn't right. The scent of blood hit his nose almost instantly. He was quick to spot the girl, but what he saw nearly did make him Hulk out. Carefully he took deep breaths to try and calm himself down, but the anxiety and horror wasn't helping.

Blood now stained the floor, and he realized that she had been concealing a weapon this whole time. She was clutching on to a blood-stained knife like her life depended on it. Bruce was careful not to hurt her any further as he checked to make sure she was still breathing. A mixture of alarm, surprise and relief washed over him when he realized that she was still alive. Finally he called in an alarm to make sure that someone got here quickly.

"What the hell happened?" One of the nurses leaned as he gently picked her up.

"My guess would be a suicide attempt on her part," he explained as they followed the hallway back to the medical bay.

The nurse said nothing more, much to his relief. Once Valerie was placed on a hospital bed, the room was buzzing with activity. Bruce noticed for the first time that she had tried stabbing herself in the chest, but apparently her attempt had failed miserably.

"My God," was all someone could say when they saw the extent of the damage. "This kid needs help. Mental help."

"I don't think that's something we should tell her when she wakes up."

"She's a danger to us all. I knew that from the start."

"Would you all just shut up already?" Everyone took a step back when Bruce shouted that. He was even surprised with himself. Was that the Hulk shouting at them or himself? "Arguing over what to do with her isn't going to make this any better, or easier for her when she does wake up," he reminded them.

Steve looked ashamed of what he had said, while Tony and Fury looked anywhere but Bruce. He was surprised Clint and Natasha weren't there with them. Those two were always up to something, as far as he was concerned.

"What makes you think she deserves a second chance?" Fury demanded, keeping his voice steadier than usual. He was afraid any wrong move would unleash the Hulk right than and there.

"Isn't that what SHIELD's all about?" he muttered crossly. "I thought everyone deserves a second chance."

Fury knew that he was referring to the Hulk. And much as he hated admitting it, he knew that Banner was right. Everyone deserved a second chance at life. The mistakes they made in their past, it was something that could be forgiven in time.

"Alright fine," Fury replied. "But I'm placing her under MD for what just happened. Her life's in the hands of the Avengers. God help us all."

With that being said he was quick to leave the room in an awkward silence. Bruce only looked down at the girl who was already slowly healing from her self-inflicted injury. He had a feeling that this was not going to be easy, for any of them.

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**AN: I know I know, the main character doesn't even get the spotlight in this chapter, but I wrote it that way for a reason. Also I apologize for the shorter chapters; they will get longer in the future, I just don't know when... Big thanks to Huntress111111, Spinosa and AmeliaRoseOswald for reviewing! You guys are awesome! :D**


	22. Those Damaged Goods You See

**Chapter Twenty Two**

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_"So let 'em fall down There's freedom waiting in the sound, When you let your walls fall to the ground We're here now, This is where the healing begins, oh This is where the healing starts When you come to where you're broken within, The light meets the dark..." Healing Begins, Tenth Avenue North_

* * *

The sound of heart monitors beeping alerted my senses. Slowly but surely my eyes opened to find myself in a familiar setting. I'd been here before, once. The heart monitor told me that someone had discovered what happened. I tried forgetting the decision I had made just moments before it occurred. I couldn't fight the urge - those damned voices refused to leave me alone. I figured that the only way to silence them was to silence myself.

I closed my eyes once more at the bitter memories started to return. What I wouldn't give for this all to end. Right now I was sure SHIELD thought I'd given up. And maybe I had given up all hope. Even if I _could_ break away from Master's control, I couldn't stop the nightmares from haunting me. I pictured the scientist I had killed, and all of those other people that I killed. All because I was following orders.

"This is impossible." My eyes snapped open at the sound of a familiar voice. He sounded frustrated as the sound of papers scattering across a desk followed. "All the results show that whatever drug they used has prevented her from the inevitable." That got my attention.

Finally I started to stir, pulling off the machine connected to my arm. My movement must have captured Bruce's attention, because he stopped what he was doing and turned in surprise. I looked down at the scratchy sheets in embarrassment when he just stared at me in concern.

"You must all hate me now," I managed to croak. My voice sounded hoarse, like I hadn't used it in days. More or less that was probably true. There was no telling how long I had been out. I can imagine SHIELD wants nothing to do with someone like me at this point. So why were they keeping me around now?

"No, we're only worried about you," Bruce sighed after rubbing his face with his hands. He looked at me thoughtfully before organizing the papers he'd messed up earlier. "What exactly happened to make you do what you did?"

This time I locked gazes with him, not entirely sure how to explain myself. There was no way he would understand what had possibly driven me to that point. Maybe Natasha would have a better understanding. I'd learned that she and I had more in common than I realized.

"It was a way out," I finally muttered, so quietly that I wasn't sure he would hear. Bruce only leaned forward, eyes bright with curiosity like he had heard me. "Look, I thought that it was... that maybe..." I stopped myself as I realized how foolish I sounded.

"Believe it or not I know what you're going through," he murmured thoughtfully. I looked at Bruce in surprise when he said that. "A few years ago... before all of this happened, I was living on my own. Something went horribly wrong, and..." He stopped himself and I nodded in understanding, knowing what he was about to say. "So I hid after that. But I got low, like you. I wanted a way out, and I tried taking my own life. And the Other Guy, he spit the bullet right back out."

I was surprised by the bitter tone in his voice. I had read all of the files on Banner's research. Gamma radiation that intense should have killed him. And yet the 'Other Guy' as he referred the Hulk to, he saved him. Maybe the Hulk knew that Banner had more purpose in his life.

"At least people see you as a hero," I pointed out. My voice had suddenly become bitter with resentment, and maybe even jealousy. "All people see in me as a monster. To them I'm just another coldblooded killer."

Bruce eyed me warily as if he could find a valid argument to my statement. But like everyone else he knew that I was right. Even if I did make it out of this alive, society would never accept me. What if I suddenly snapped again? I couldn't bring myself to admit that solitary confinement probably was the best answer.

Finally he let out another sigh before heading back towards the counter. "Talk to Widow and Hawkeye," he told me. "They're worried about you." Almost at once I wanted to snort at that statement. Like anyone would want to worry about me.

Despite my thoughts I decided to get up and leave the room, not wanting to spend anymore time making the Doctor feel guilty. He probably didn't want to relive those memories any more than I did. Besides, Banner wasn't the type of person to talk to, especially now.

It didn't take me long to find the pair. Natasha was in the gym with Clint watching her every move. The two moved perfectly in sync, neither willing to make the first move. Suddenly Clint lunged forward, using his fists to knock Natasha off balance. She moved so fast that it was hard to keep up. With one swift leap she had already pinned him to the floor, barely putting any pressure on his arms as she held him down.

I remembered using that move during a training routine. It was one that the program had taught everyone early on. If one had quick reflexes than it was an easy way of getting an advantage on your opponent. You had to be quick on your legs as well; if someone were to push up with their own legs it would leave you winded in seconds. And that's exactly what Clint managed to do.

Within seconds Natasha had Clint pinned down once again, smirking in triumph as he finally gave in. Natasha looked at me in surprise when I made a coughing noise, trying to break the awkward feeling that followed.

There were rumors of course. Rumors usually weren't true, but I'd heard enough of them by now to know that Natasha and Clint were very close. Closer than most spies in this kind of business should be. But of course they would never admit that they were more than just partners. It would not only ruin their careers, but it would put their lives in danger as well.

"I'm sorry," I murmured after looking down at the floor. Shame suddenly washed over me for the first time that day. Master would have called me weak for going to such lengths. And he was probably right. Maybe I truly was a worthless scum.

"It was the voices again, wasn't it?" Clint's voice was quiet, Natasha shooting him a wary look as he watched me carefully.

I looked away, not willing to lock gazes with them again. I was afraid that if I did I would have another breakdown. I'm not sure what brought it upon me to trust them. Maybe it was the fact that they were willing to give me a second chance.

"All I hear are those voices," I replied with a simple nod. My vision began to blur again as they started whispering again. This time it was a more violent sound that sent shivers through me. "They don't go away!" My mind began to race as I slid down the wall, having leaned against it earlier to watch their sparring session. The voices were giving me a headache, this time stronger than the last one.

"Valerie," Natasha suddenly spoke up. Her voice was so quiet though that I hardly heard her. "Valerie, you need to focus on my voice," she whispered in a stern tone. As I looked up I could only see that blurry vision. "Focus on my voice, Valerie," Natasha repeated herself, this time saying the words more loudly and clearly.

This was the way she had spoken to me before, back in the room. Suddenly I could no longer hear Master's voice shouting orders. Now my vision was starting to clear; Natasha was kneeling down so that she faced me directly. After a few seconds I tried taking deep breaths before locking gazes with Natasha.

"Thank you." My voice came out as a whisper. Natasha simply nodded in understanding before standing up again, offering a hand to help me up. I was about to reach out when an alarm sounded over the com.

"Avengers, you might wanna report to the medical bay, immediately." I couldn't help but stiffen at the sound of Fury's voice. The one director I'd been trying to avoid all day. Even if he had said just the Avengers, I had a feeling I would need to join them.

. . .

His fist slammed into the desk as the video feed went dark once more. So close! He had been so close to breaking her, to having complete control. And those damned agents had to go and ruin everything for him. Now he would have to set the plans back. They couldn't afford another failure. Failure was not tolerated by the Program. He would ensure that the girl was his. And that she would take down SHIELD from the inside out, one way or another. The program always aimed for the best. And they always would.

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**AN: So this is actually a quick update for me :) I also wanted to mention there's a little Easter egg in this chapter, and if you actually catch it than you just earned yourself a virtual cookie! Also wanted to thank Spinosa for reviewing! As always you're an awesome reviewer, and God bless! :D**


	23. In Your Reflection

**Chapter Twenty Three**

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_"Dear younger me, Where do I start If I could tell you everything that I have learned so far, Then you could be One step ahead, Of all the painful memories still running thru my head I wonder how much different things would be..." Dear Younger Me, MercyMe_

* * *

"This is really quite amazing," Bruce said as he looked into the files written down by himself. Everyone stood uncomfortably close together in the already small room. Tony was having an argument with Steve that dropped to a whisper when Fury shot them both a glare. I stood between Natasha and Clint while Bruce looked at us cautiously. "Whatever that the program gave you has enhanced your abilities," he explained. "From the information I've gathered, you... it's impossible for you to die."

For a while I just stared at Bruce in disbelief. No one said a word as he gave them a chance to let this information sink in. Finally Natasha dared to speak up, though judging by the tone in her voice it wasn't going to be anything I wanted to hear.

"The Red Room was infamous for enhancing one's abilities," she pointed out. "But I've never heard of anything like this." Her expression was difficult to read. As a master assassin she could hide all of her emotions. But this time I did see something that caught me off guard. It was a look of sympathy.

"So exactly what does this mean for us?" Tony finally dared to ask. He sounded more bored than anything else. But I did notice that he shuffled uncomfortably as Steve elbowed him. This subject was clearly getting the better of him.

"It means that if the Red Room is involved with this... program," Fury began with a glance towards me and Natasha, "Than it's possible they could be using the same serum on everyone else. Those who are loyal to the program will become more than just a thorn in SHIELD's side."

I bit the bottom of my lip at the mention of loyalty. Who was I loyal to? It could be whoever paid the most amount of money. Many freelance assassins chose that way of life, mostly because they got paid good money.

"Well that sounds like fun." The remark from Tony received glares from everyone this time, including me. What sort of idiot would just say that something like this was fun?

"What I'd like to know is whether or not there's a cure," Steve suddenly murmured.

Despite the thoughtfulness in his voice, I couldn't help but cringe. As the team started discussing what to do next, I decided to slip out while I could. Team discussions was something I shouldn't be included in. Besides, there were more important things to worry about. If there was a possibility that I could stop Master from using the serum, than I would stop him. Much as I hated to admit it, I didn't want anyone else to go through the same shit I have.

The Hellicarrier was buzzing with activity as I traced my steps. Agents walking past shot me wary looks, but I chose to ignore them. They could easily take me down if given the order. Director Fury however was preoccupied with trying to find a cure to the serum used on me. I was just walking by a small room when something caught my attention.

Glancing around my shoulder, I walked into the room to see what was happening. The steel walls were glaring red as an alarm sounded. Seconds later and the door slammed shut, locking me inside. Where were all those SHIELD agents now? I tried kicking the door open a few times before receiving new bruises on my foot. The alarm only blared louder, causing my ears to ring from the noise bouncing off the walls.

"Shadow, my perfect little pet." I felt my blood run cold at the familiar voice. Turning around I saw the image of someone on the small television hanging on the wall. For the first time I had a good view of _him_. And he was everything I'd expected. Tall, muscular, dark and very angry looking. "I have to say, I am surprised that you've survived this long with the enemy," he sneered.

"SHIELD isn't the enemy," I muttered under my breath. And yet the whispers in my voice continued telling me otherwise.

"What will they do to you once this is over?" Master suddenly demanded. His voice was cold, just like everything else about him. I bit the bottom of my lip when he asked that. "They will lock you up for the rest of your life, for what you have done. I don't want to see my favorite student become one of SHIELD's latest prisoners." He paused to let this sink in.

And sink in it did. The more I thought about it the more I realized I was fine with what fate had in store for me. Remembering what I had nearly done to myself, there were no ways of escaping the past. The only way to fight my past was to be stronger than I had been. And that meant standing up to the one person that had nearly broken me.

"I am willing to give you a second chance, whether you want one or not." My eyes narrowed into slits when he said that. "Despite what SHIELD believes we have more ways of getting what we desire the most." I felt myself stiffening as a smirk appeared on his face. "On the Hellicarrier happens to be a helicopter waiting for you. If you do not comply with these orders, I will be forced to take measures into my own hands. And I know that you wouldn't want that, would you?"

For a moment I thought of asking what he meant by that. But immediately I knew I would regret the question. Master had ways of making sure that he got what he wanted. One way or another, he would get his revenge. And I couldn't let him take it out on the people that had taken me in. After a few seconds I finally nodded, and Master gave me the coordinates. The Hellicarrier had a large landing pad, almost like an airport of it's own.

"The helicopter leaves in an hour," Master warned me. "If you are not on it, I will ensure that everyone on that blasted ship is dead."

All that kept me from spitting something in response was my pride. Master would only use that to his advantage if I did make it back alive. And that was a big _if_. The Hellicarrier was a heavily guarded floating city. I wanted to know how Master had planned on getting to me without causing an all out war.

Shaking my head at the thought, the door finally slid open with a hiss. My eyes widened in shock when I saw a group of agents standing in front of the door, their guns raised and aimed at me. I could only stare at them for a few seconds before something strange happened. In a matter of seconds all of the agents suddenly dropped on the floor, their weapons going down as well. I stared at them, dumbfounded for what felt like a heartbeat. Then I saw someone else standing behind them. The man standing behind them was wearing a typical SHIELD uniform.

Everything that happened next was like a blur to me. He grabbed me by the arm, causing me to struggle momentarily. He had a strong grip, strong enough to send pain through my arm as he ran at full speed. All I could do was try using my other arm to swing it at him.

"Who the hell are you? And what's going on?" I demanded as we passed another room full of dropped agents.

"I work for the Program," he explained after we reached what looked like an open door. "The Hellicarrier is on autopilot right now. Had to use a sleeping gas to get here, unfortunately it takes a while for it to take effect."

I was ready to say something when a blast of cold wind cut me off. Bright sunlight nearly blinded me as we got outside. The sound of a helicopter's engine could be made out above the distinctive noise the Hellicarrier made. The stranger in question led me to the helicopter, nearly shoving me inside as he got in.

With such a force that would've likely pulled his arm out of it's socket, I pried my own arm away. The man in question turned around to glare at me, his eyes showing obvious pain. All I did was smirk back, my expression smug as he cursed under his breath and got into the cockpit.

As the helicopter took off a sudden sense of regret took over. This whole mess was because of me. And now I was turning my back on them again. The only thing that kept me from killing the pilot was the need for revenge. One way or another I would take down Master for what he has done to not only me, but countless others. And I would make sure that he never hurt anyone again.

* * *

**AN: So a major plot twist right there :P I couldn't resist adding this bit, considering there are about eight more chapters left before this is finished. I'm really excited about the ending. Hopefully other readers (if there are any others out there D:) will be too. Thanks BlueEden and Spinosa for reviewing! I really do appreciate them :)**


	24. Love Sees Them Differently

**Chapter Twenty Four**

* * *

_"An ache So deep, That I Can hardly breathe This pain, Can't be imagined Will it ever heal? Your hand So small, Held a strand of my hair So strong All I could do, Was keep believing Was that enough? Is anyone there..." I Want You Here, Plumb_

* * *

My heart was racing with anxiety. Darkness surrounded me for a brief second. Moments later and the blindfold covering my eyes was removed. All at once my struggling returned. I found myself strapped into a chair. The room I was in had tall dark gray walls surrounding me. This room was oddly... _familiar_. I couldn't find the right words to describe it. With a shake of my head I continued trying to free myself from the straps, realizing that I had no weapons to defend myself.

As I tried just about any tactic to free myself, the door swung open with a loud clanging noise. My eyes narrowed into the deadliest glare I could compose as Master walked inside. His face was shadowed once again in darkness as he stepped in front of me, holding on to what looked like files.

"My my, what a situation we have ourselves in," Master said with a click of his tongue. "I was going to make this as painless as possible. But seeing as you are not happy here, I have changed my mind." All I could do was give him a hateful look as he walked behind me. "There is a different type of program that we have here, called reprogramming," he started explaining. I felt shivers run down my back as something cold and metal pressed itself against my neck. "We've already run several successful tests. And you will soon be another success story, _pet_."

"You took _everything_ from me!" I spat as he stood in front of me a second time. "I will never be your pet again!" There was so much venom in my voice that even I felt scared. But he only smirked in response.

"I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter," he replied.

I felt cold dread wash over me when he said that. For a while nothing happened as he disappeared from my view again. That was when the pain suddenly surged through me. The pain felt like nothing I had ever endured before.

"Welcome to your new life, pet..." Master's voice sounded in the background. No, he wasn't Master... he was a selfish bastard who... my teeth ground together as I let out a scream.

Confusion swept through me as images and memories started to fade. Most importantly were the images of people who had taken me in, when I should have been killed. But these images were replaced with something darker. Pictures of the people torturing me suddenly took over. All I saw now was a familiar sense of peace when Master saved me.

Black spots began appearing at the edge of my vision as the pain continued. At this point my entire body went numb because of it. I wasn't sure if it was a welcomed feeling or made me feel even worse. The only thoughts whirling through my mind were how this would end, and if I would survive it.

. . .

"Damn it!" Natasha shot Clint a cold look as he shouted those words. He was pacing around the small room while the others tried recalling what had happened. Someone had infiltrated SHIELD and used knockout gas. That was the only assumption she could make. Bruce had already locked himself in the cell Fury built for the Hulk. The knockout gas had given them all a throbbing headache that refused to go away.

"Swearing isn't going to get us anywhere," she pointed out, though she could understand her partner's frustration. All of the work they had put into this one mission, and it ended in miserable failure. They had woken up to find Valerie was missing. The worst part of it was the attack on the Hellicarrier could have left the defenseless. Yet someone had left them alone, only taking one person in question. And that said person just had to be Valerie.

"We've got a live video feed in one of the security rooms." Agent Hill's voice sounded over the com, causing both agents to look up in surprise. Tony and Steve had already wandered off to prepare themselves - a battle was inevitable now. They would either need to spend the rest of their lives looking for the girl or fighting the people responsible for what had happened to her.

Natasha wasn't surprised at what they saw when they reached the security room. Though she was slightly disturbed by how easily the intruder had gotten in, it didn't surprise her by the least. After putting a knockout gas grenade into the air vents, the intruder managed to set it off and let it travel through the Hellicarrier. Unsuspecting SHIELD agents were caught unaware of the attack, and easily knocked out. What happened next made her stomach twist with an unfamiliar feeling.

The intruder had opened the door as a group of SHIELD agents were knocked out. Valerie was in the room, surprisingly not effected by the gas. Natasha took notice that there was no ventilation in this room. The intruder must have done his research before going in. What took her by surprise was how willing Valerie was to go with the intruder. She didn't even put up a fight as he grabbed her by the wrist and ran. That was when the cameras had stopped recording everything.

"They planned everything, from the attack to getting out." Just to clarify what had happened, agent Hill was forced to explain everything again. "The fact that she went willingly with them makes her a bigger threat than we realized," Maria went on. "SHIELD won't stand for it."

"With all due respect there has to be a reason she did leave willingly," Clint pointed out, sounding more annoyed than anything else.

"Well, when you find an explanation to her behavior than please explain it to me." Fury's voice sounded from behind them. "The only good thing that came out of this attack was the fact that we got their coordinates."

All three agents looked at Fury in confusion when he said that.

"From the video before that one, I was able to find some sort of clue," Tony suddenly piped up. "This guy really likes to put on a show, but he wasn't smart enough to hide his location."

Natasha rolled her eyes before realizing what that meant. They were one step closer to finding out what the program really was. And they were one step closer to putting it to an end, once and for all.

. . .

Slowly my eyes began to open. A mind-numbing pain had burned in the back of my head for hours. Finally the pain had begun to dull as my blurry vision began to return. My senses were quick to return as I was alerted to my surroundings.

I was strapped to a chair in the middle of a tiny room. Cold steel walls surrounded me. The only source of light came from the door that was locked tight next to me. I relaxed myself, feeling oddly safe despite the pain I had been in earlier.

Suddenly the door swung open, a loud creaking noise made me cringe slightly. A man stood in the doorway, holding what looked like a manilla folder stuffed with files. It was something I had gotten used to seeing while here. Someone would walk in and make sure I was okay, adjusting to this kind of life of solitude. Surprisingly I was okay with it.

"How are we feeling, my pet?" Master's voice. To me it was a soothing tone, one that made me realize he was not here to hurt me. I opened my mouth, but found I couldn't speak. I looked up at Master in alarm as he stared at me in amusement. "You may be in pain; those Avengers tried torturing information out of you." His mouth twisted in a smirk as I stared at him in disbelief.

Yes, I remembered that. The pain was from the Black Widow using her stingers on me when I wouldn't answer questions. I could picture what the others had done, from Captain America using me as his personal punching bag to Iron Man experimenting on me. My eyes narrowed into a look of hatred as I remembered Bruce Banner Hulking out and taking his anger out on me.

"You are lucky to be alive." Master put a hand on my shoulder, and I winced from the contact. "We found you nearly beaten to death outside the Avenger's Tower, after SHIELD dropped you off there. If we hadn't taken you back you would be dead."

My fists clenched as raw anger replaced my earlier fear. He was right. Master had saved my life. I owed him more than anything I could imagine. One more venomous thought surged through my mind the more I thought about it.

"The Avengers will likely be coming here to attack," Master went on. "I believe you deserve a little taste in revenge."

All I could do was produce a nod. I was _not_ going to let the Avengers get away with this. They would pay for what they had done. Revenge was inevitable.

* * *

**AN: Finally got this chapter finished. Sorry for the long wait ^^ This could have probably been a different chapter but I wanted to combine it. Anywho, thanks to AmeliaRoseOswald and Spinosa for reviewing! You guys are awesome! :)**


	25. Love Sees Perfection

**Chapter Twenty Five**

* * *

_"Hey you, look around! Can you hear that noise? It's a rebel sound. We got nowhere else to go. And when the sun goes down, and we fill the streets, You're gonna dance 'til the morning to the rebel's beat. You can take everything from me 'Cause this is all I need..." Rebel Beat, Goo Goo Dolls_

* * *

"Welcome to your new life, pet…."

Master's words rang in my voice as I was handed several different guns. One for long range attacks and another for short range attacks. After having realized that the fight was nearly upon us, I equipped myself with several hand grenades as well just for good measure. I was not going to let anyone leave this place without a reminder of what they've done. That was a promise I had made to myself, and to Master. Now I was more than ready for the fight that lay ahead of me.

"Master wants to see you now." A soldier dressed in all black and wearing a mask approached me. In a matter of seconds I whirled around and grabbed him by the wrist, twisting it backwards. The soldier let out a cry of pain as I pulled forward with so much force that his hand made a snapping noise. "Damn it Shadow!" The soldier used my codename – it was a name I hadn't heard in months. But it was still refreshing to hear.

"Never sneak up on me," I snapped before letting go. The soldier glared at me; only his eyes were visible through his mask. I couldn't help but smirk at the pain I'd just caused him. Then I frowned, realizing that Master had just lost a much needed soldier during this final battle. "Sorry," I added under my breath.

There was more to it than that. Another feeling had suddenly returned, one that I hadn't felt in years. _Sympathy_. Sympathy was beaten out of us the moment we joined the program. And right now I felt none, until I saw the soldier lead me towards Master's room. I shook my head at the thought and cast it away, knowing that it wouldn't get me anywhere.

_You don't think for yourself_, a voice reminded me. _There is nothing more important than taking SHIELD down and destroying the Avengers_.

It didn't take us long to reach Master's office. The base we were in was an underground base, giving us the ultimate hiding spot. Only downside was that meant there were many downhill and uphill slopes that led to multiple hallways. The base in Russia didn't have that kind of problem. But I hadn't been in that base for months. I actually missed my old home.

"Ah, my favorite soldier." Master clasped his hands together as the soldier that led me in grunted in annoyance, showing the hand I had broken. Master made a tsking noise with his tongue before turning back at me. "Now, now,_ pet_, I can't have you breaking my companions. I've gathered all the information you will need in order to take down the Avengers. You will be the one to target them, one by one." He handed me a manilla folder stuffed with files.

"I will take them down," I promised. My voice was icy cold. Once again I was reminded of what the Avengers and SHIELD had done to me. Before they found me I was going to school in Russia. Then I ended up taking a trip to California, and the Avengers had taken me. That was when things went from bad to worse. I shuddered at the memory that haunted me the most.

One was a memory of Clint and Natasha, beating me for not giving them any information. I still don't know why it happened. All I know was they had beaten me until I passed out. Then Tony did the worst by experimenting on me, along with something I refused to say out loud.

"Good…. I just received word that they are on their way as we speak," Master replied. "Get yourself ready, and don't fail me."

I made a salute before walking out of the room, eager to get started. Looking down at the manilla folder I noticed that the files were on all of the Avengers, and some even on SHIELD. To my surprise SHIELD had more information on me and the program than I'd like to know. And to top things off the Avengers were hellbent on capturing me again to abstract more information. They believed I was the only one to have survived the training the program had to offer.

Grinning at the thought, I immediately headed for the nearest air vent and placed several smoke bombs here and there. They would go off at the press of a button, which was currently under my control. Once set off I only had a short amount of time before I could make my move.

. . .

"We're nearing the base." Anticipation crawled through the team as the quinjet made it's way towards the Badlands of California. The national park was infamous for it's desert-like geography. That's what had stumped the team before they made their next move. The location was pinpointed somewhere in the middle of the desert, but from what they could gather there was nothing to see for miles but red sand and shrubs.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Steve asked. He and the others were suited up. Clint had his bow and quiver strapped to the pilot seat as he always did. Bruce was wearing a pair of pants that Tony himself had invented a few weeks ago. The pants apparently were able to stretch to any size and return to their normal size when Bruce changed back to himself. And of course Tony was flying outside the quinjet in his Iron Man suit, keeping an eye out for signs of weaponry protecting the base.

"Guys, we've got guns tracking our movements," Tony suddenly announced.

"Hang on to something!" Clint shouted as the weapons fired.

Even he had a hard time spotting them. They blended in well against the sand, but he could see the faintest signs of metal. The blast caused the quinjet to rattle slightly, and Clint had to maneuver to the right in order to avoid getting hit.

"Where'd you learn how to fly?" Bruce muttered as he clung on to the bar for dear life. Hulking out now in a small plane was the worst possible thing he could do.

"Tony, can you take down those blasters now before they take us out?" Natasha asked.

"I'm already on it." Iron Man flew by just as he said that, throwing a repulser blast into the weapons as he kept a safe distance from them.

In a matter of seconds Tony had destroyed the weapons, but not without getting hit himself. The attack left him reeling backwards until he slammed into the side of the quinjet, causing it to tilt downwards.

"Hang on!" Everyone already was holding on for dear life as the quinjet barreled towards the ground. Clint pulled upwards just in time to avoid crashing. All he could do now was breath a sigh of relief as the quinjet just barely avoided slamming into the ground.

"Nice landing ace," Tony groaned after recovering from his attack.

"Just be glad we got here safely," Clint muttered with a roll of his eyes.

As the team got out to assess the damage Clint forced back a groan of annoyance. The quinjet had taken a heavy hit when Tony was slammed into it. From what he could tell the quinjet wasn't going to be flying again anytime soon.

"Looks like we're taking the taxi home," Tony said.

"There should be some kind of way in," Steve suddenly added.

"I see something odd in the sand," Natasha pointed out. She was looking pointedly between the two weapons that had been firing moments before. Sure enough there were odd looking grooves in the sand. Natasha leaned down and tapped gently on the sand. An odd metallic ring followed, signaling that they had found the base.

"Nice work," Clint said with a smirk.

Natasha only rolled her eyes before placing a grenade on the front entrance. There was only one way in, and they were going to have to fight their way in. Might as well start this with a blast.

* * *

**AN: And I have officially reached twenty five chapters! This is getting excited, and we're reaching the climax! Only a few more chapters left before this is finished, and it might not be the ending everyone's expecting. And in case anyone is wondering, Valerie's sister will be making one more appearance before this is over. Thank you Spinosa for reviewing! You are an awesome friend :D**


	26. A Beautiful Display

**Chapter Twenty Six**

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_"There's no space that His love can't reach, There's no place that we can't find peace There's no end to Amazing Grace, Take me in with your arms spread wide Take me in like an orphan child, Never let go, never leave my side..." I Am, Crowder_

* * *

An explosion shook the entire building, alerting me that the Avengers were here. The explosion set off a series of alarm, but no one ran. This was all according to the plan. To separate the Avengers we would need to work together. I wasn't exactly looking forward to working with _anyone_. It was something I had never been trained for. But I supposed I could always learn. And it was now or never time.

Chaos followed as soldiers suddenly started running down the hall. Meanwhile I was watching from my perch in the air vents, waiting for the signal. I knew what lay ahead of me. The Avengers would be my toughest targets yet. From the two assassins, to Iron Man, to a super soldier and finally a raging green monster known as the Hulk. I planned on taking Banner out before the monster could react. He would be my first target if all went according to plan.

Sure enough the Avengers already started crashing in, literally. Clint and Natasha were the first to get through; Clint fired a few arrows and had already taken down several soldiers, Natasha just killed them with her stingers. My hands gripped the metal tightly when I saw that the Hulk was already rampaging in a different hallway. The ground started shaking from the violent steps the Hulk made towards one of the main computer rooms.

In a matter of seconds I pressed the button that released the smoke from the bombs I planted throughout the building. A few moments of confusion followed as the air suddenly became deathly silent. Finally the Hulk let out an ear-splitting roar that made me move a little faster through the air vents. I was not prepared to take on something his size. But there was a first time for everything. I had grabbed enough weapons to make it _seem_ like a fair fight; at least I hoped that was the case.

Finally I reached the computer room the Hulk was now trashing. That equipment was expensive! Not to mention all the repairs that would follow once this was over. I hold back a groan of annoyance as I aimed a taser in the Hulk's direction. It was actually a modified version of a taser, with an electrical charge similar to that of the Black Widow's stingers. Only twice as powerful. I should know, I've felt the pain they put me through.

I watched carefully as the taser landed on the Hulk's neck, sending a jolt of electricity in seconds. Again the Hulk roared, smashing a few tables here and there before finally looking up. I flinched when the Hulk looked directly at the air vent I was hiding in. The door was already locked, making it impossible for him to escape if he tried to. Now it was my turn to play the assassin.

Without hesitation I jumped down from the air vent and landed on the Hulk's back. I could already feel him trying to shake me off when he realized what I was doing. The dagger would hopefully be enough to stun him before I pulled off a final attack. With the smoke blocking his vision the Hulk couldn't see very well, which is probably why he ended up in this room of all places. Suddenly I felt a strong hand grab me by the waste.

I forced back a yelp of pain as the Hulk pried me off and threw me. The dagger I was holding earlier was sent flying into a wall, just as I slammed into a table nearby. As I struggled to stand the Hulk let out a low snarl as he charged after me. But as suddenly as he started charging, he stopped. I looked at the Hulk with a moment of panic surging through me, until I saw something light up in his green eyes.

"Valerie?" The words came out slowly, as if he wasn't sure it was the right name.

Before he could react I reached for my taser once more and aimed it at his head, this time making sure it knocked him out. A few seconds of silence followed as the Hulk came crashing down from the shock. I pried my dagger from the wall and was ready to strike when something stopped me.

Truth be told I have never seen the Hulk in person. But seeing him now, I realized that something wasn't right. Despite the immense amount of anger I felt towards the Avengers, I couldn't bring myself to actually _kill_ him. The Hulk wasn't unconscious, he was just stunned for the moment. I looked him right in the eye and saw something in them.

"_Kill it_!" That same voice I kept hearing suddenly rang in my ears, loud and clear.

Confusion swept over me when I held my dagger above the heaping form that made up the Hulk. Sweat rolled down my face, and for the first time I didn't know what to do. I had killed without hesitation before. So why was this any different?

"_Just kill the damn thing already_!" The voice was louder this time. Finally I drew my dagger and threw it down, but I didn't aim for the heart or the neck. Instead I dragged it across the Hulk's arm. This time he was unconscious. I doubted I would live to see another day if he wasn't. Blood seeped from the wound I had given him, staining the cement floor red.

I wasn't going to stick around long enough to see what would happen when he woke up. The last thing I wanted was for the Hulk to launch another attack, even if he was weakened by the wound. This time I headed for the air vent once more, heading to the right.

"Shadow, we've got intel that Captain America is locked in the room closest to you." Master's voice sounded through the earpiece I was wearing. It was reassuring to know that he'd survived through this chaos. "You know what to do."

"Yes sir," I replied before switching the earpiece off.

Carefully I made my way through the air vent, having to go up and down a few times as it sloped at an odd angle. Sure enough I spotted Capsicle talking through an earpiece, or trying to anyways. I peered between the bars that covered the shaft to see if there were any weak points.

Rogers had a shield that would block any physical attacks. But if I could somehow knock him out before he used it…. An idea suddenly struck my mind as I punched my way through the bars. The 'good' Captain wheeled around at the noise, his eyes widening when he saw me landing in front of him. I threw in a punch before he could say anything, my fist clipping his cheek without warning.

He was quick to block my attacks with his fists and shield, but I moved faster. At times during the confusion I would swing out my leg and trip him, throwing him on his back and leaving him vulnerable.

"Valerie, I know you don't want to do this." I rolled my eyes when he said that.

"You don't know anything about me," I spat, the venom in my voice made even me flinch a little.

I was about to punch him again when he kicked me in the stomach with his legs.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said in a reassuring tone. Again I rolled my eyes and laughed bitterly at the statement.

"After you used me as your personal punching bag?" I retorted. I grabbed the pistol strapped to my waste and aimed it at him, choosing to shoot at his leg instead when I was finished. "You Avengers are nothing but a bunch of bastards that need to be taken down!"

He only looked at me in confusion before understanding lit in his eyes. That was when I pulled the trigger. It was aimed just above his foot, so that the bullet would hit his leg instead. Clearly he wasn't expecting the attack as the bullet landed.

"Valerie, I've never used you as a…. punching bag." For the first time I noticed regret showing on that masked face of his. But I wasn't moved one heartbeat.

I pulled the trigger once more, this time aiming at his face. Not even once did he use his shield to protect himself. My face twisted to a scowl before I threw out my legs and tripped him. I wasted no time in hitting him as hard as I could in the forehead, not giving him a chance to raise his shield. I looked him in the eyes one last time before he blacked out, the pain becoming too much.

Taking a deep breath, I couldn't help but grin at my work. Already two Avengers were down. Two down, and three to go. And two of those Avengers were master assassins. It wouldn't surprise me if they were working together too. This was not going to be easy. Either they were going down or I would die trying. And I was going to make sure that they had one hell of a fight to go through.


	27. Of Healing On The Way

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

* * *

_"Set me free of the chains holding me Is anybody out there hearing me? Set me free, Morning breaks another day Finds me crying in the rain All alone with my demons I am, Who is this man that comes my way? The dark ones shriek They scream His name, Is this the One they say will set the captives free? Jesus, rescue me..." Set Me Free, Casting Crowns_

* * *

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me across the hallway after getting down from the vents. Master had just told me that the soldiers managed to capture Iron Man with ease. Which left me to deal with the two top assassins that made up the rest of the Avengers. Already I could feel a twisting knot form in my stomach as I made my way towards the room they were in. This was the battle I had been anticipating the most. Here I would test my skills and see just how well trained I really was. If I could take down SHIELD's top agents, then I would be the best of the best.

Shaking my head at the thought, I knew that wasn't true. There was still so much I had to learn. I couldn't even kill the Hulk for God's sake! Or Captain America for that matter…. As much anger as I felt towards them, I couldn't bring myself to make the final move. So instead I simply made it look as though I did. And hopefully Master wouldn't know that.

After another few minutes of running, I finally reached the room that the Black Widow and Hawkeye were being kept in. It was most likely they were trying to reconnect with their teammates and got lost. And now they were trying to find a way out of the room. But the doors worked on a timer; if you didn't get out on time they would lock on you. Which is exactly what happened to the Hulk and Captain America. I could feel my heart racing when I heard voices through the steel door. Most of the rooms were soundproof. But there were a few, like this one, that weren't.

Taking a deep breath, I pulled a mask over my face before kicking the door open. Immediately I pulled out a gun and started firing, dodging to the side to avoid getting hit by Hawkeye's arrows. He may be a master marksmen but that didn't mean I couldn't dodge an arrow. With precise movement I was able to kick away the knife Natasha was holding right from her hand, meanwhile a bullet had managed to graze Hawkeye's cheek.

"Nunc enim non ego laudor," I snapped just as I moved to the side. The words were in Latin, but Natasha recognized them in an instant. Her eyes widened with recognition, and she hesitated in making her next attack.

"Valerie." Her words were like ice, freezing me on the spot. Just as she said my name Clint fired an arrow, and this time it didn't miss.

I forced back a cry of pain when the arrow brushed past my arm, leaving behind a nasty looking wound. Before Clint could make another move I fired the taser at him, only to miss as he rolled forward just in time.

"Valerie, enough." Natasha's voice stopped me for just a moment. "This isn't you, and you know it." She grabbed me by the wrist as I glared at her.

"Sciunt tunc me." I refused to look her in the eyes as I spat those words. Again it was in Latin. Clint only watched us in confusion, clearly taken aback by the fact that we were talking, though in a different language.

Again Natasha's face darkened. I narrowed my eyes when I saw regret and a brief moment of sympathy in them. Without warning I grabbed my dagger from it's hiding place and sliced it across her arm, using her distraction to my advantage.

"What did they do to you?" Natasha didn't even react to the wound I just gave her. At the edge of my vision I could see that Clint was trying to find the best way to fire an arrow without hitting his partner. I tried not to smirk when I realized that he was at a major disadvantage here.

"They opened my eyes," I replied, this time in English. Again I drew my dagger, this time just barely missing her chin as she leaned back and kicked me out of the way.

"Careful Nat, looks like they used some kind of mind wiping device on her," Clint finally spoke for the first time.

Natasha was quick to strike back with such a force that it sent me flying into a table. Papers scattered across the floor as I got back to my feet, wincing as the pain from my arm started to get to me.

"Valerie, what do you know about us? Natasha's question caught me by surprise, but I only narrowed my eyes in hate.

"I know enough." My teeth ground together when I felt a strong pair of arms grab my wrists. Natasha only let her shoulders relax a little as I struggled to free myself from Clint's strong grip. Acting on instinct I kicked him with the back of my boot right in the groin. I tried not to grin as I heard a moan of pain that followed. A few seconds later and he released my arms, giving me enough freedom to whirl around and knock him to the ground while he was still recovering.

And of course Natasha used my distraction as a chance to smack me in the back of my head. The pain had become too much, from the wound on my arm to the fight that was happening now. My vision started to get fuzzy as I fell over, landing sideways on the floor next to Clint, who was still recovering from my recent attack.

"Try to remember what the program did to you, Valerie." I flinched at the gentle tone in Natasha's voice. It reminded me too much of the times when she would lash out at me during the interrogations. "We aren't here to hurt you. We are not the enemy."

For a moment I closed my eyes, trying to block her voice. All I could hear were the voices screaming at me to end this fight once and for all. My hands started shaking at the violent visions that flashed before me.

"You have to fight them; those voices will only get stronger if you let it happen." This time I heard someone else speak up, though I couldn't tell who. Right now everything was a blur. All I could see now were the faint outlines of the room I was in and two people standing in front of me.

Finally I let out a scream. Memories suddenly started flooding my vision. At first they were moving so fast that I couldn't make sense of them. Eventually though they started getting clearer and more violent. One image in particular made me want to vomit. Master was standing over me, his arms folded and a proud expression was plastered on his face. All I could see was an image of myself, scared and alone for the first time in my life.

The Avengers…. They saved me. I could see them now. True Tony probably still hated me for what I did, but that had been an accident. All of a sudden I felt a knot form in my stomach as I realized what I was doing. Tears started rolling down my cheeks when I realized what Master had done to me. No, that bastard was _not_ my '_Master_'.

"I'm sorry." I choked on my own words, having realized that they would likely never forgive me for what I did.

They had already said that I was unstable. And I knew that they were right. I allowed someone to control me, and had almost killed two Avengers to top it off.

"It wasn't your fault." As my vision started to clear I felt the knot in my stomach grow tighter. The alarm that was blaring seemed oddly silent compared to that one sentence.

"Oh but it was indeed her fault." All three of us turned at the eerily familiar voice. My blood ran cold at the sight of someone that burned a bitter memory in my heart. "I see you have managed to break free of my control, no thanks to these two traitors." His voice came out as a growl, sending chills down my arms.

"Sven Vanzin…. I was wondering when we would meet again," Natasha finally spoke up again. I didn't miss the look of anger in her eyes. Natasha was skilled at hiding her emotions, but this time she easily let them show.

"The infamous Black Widow, and Hawkeye I presume?" He nodded towards Clint, who was studying the man that had turned me into what I was now. "After SHIELD shut down the Red Room, or so they thought, I had to set up a new one. And as you can see I have done a _marvelous_ job."

I couldn't help but flinch when he looked pointedly at me.

"The Red Room was shut down for a reason," Natasha snapped.

"And I simply couldn't let that happen," he said with a shake of his head. I only just noticed the faintest of Russian accent in his voice. If he was as good as they claimed than he was probably a master when it came to disguising his voice. "After months of convincing private venders, we gained enough money to start the program again. And now it is better than ever."

He clasped his hands together and looked directly at me this time. I finally stole my courage and glared back. I wasn't going to let this man scare me. He had done so many things to me that I couldn't say out loud. After all of these years I finally saw his face for the first time, and truth be told I was disgusted.

"This ends. Now." Clint suddenly drew an arrow and aimed it at Sven, if that was even his real name. But he didn't even look alarmed.

Suddenly Sven chuckled and shook his head in amusement. "Do you really think you can win this fight?" he sneered. "Your team has already lost, with the help of my best soldier."

"Not on my watch!" We all looked around in surprise at the voice that sounded over the intercom. "A note to your engineers; when someone's hacking into my system, make sure that yours is protected by an antivirus."

I tried not to smirk when Tony said that. Sven's face twisted into a scowl when he realized what Iron Man was up to. All at once the sirens that were blaring minutes ago stopped. The automatic locks that kept the doors sealed were released seconds later.

"I won't let you escape." His voice rose to a shout as Sven pulled out what looked like a trigger. "Not without fighting for your lives. The Red Room will live–"

He didn't get the chance to finish his statement. I pulled out my pistol and fired it, making sure that I didn't miss this time. For once a small smile of satisfaction washed over my face as the bullet reached it's target. And it took a while for him to register what I just did. Eventually though he got the message.

"You control me no longer," I whispered.

* * *

**AN: I felt that song was very appropriate for the situation Valerie is in. And it's possibly one of my favorites by CC. Anyways, please let me know what you thought of this. I'd love to see your thoughts on what's good and what could be improved. Constructive criticism is always nice.**


	28. Tonight

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

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_"It's bitter cold outside But the sun still shines 'cause we can feel it, Benjamin, you mark the life that was left behind We see him in your eyes And we will be friends for a long, long time, So until you can talk, just cry And know that we will be friends for the rest of our lives..." Benjamin, Sanctus Real_

* * *

It felt like time had slowed down. Everything was oddly quiet as his body fell to the ground, blood seeping from the bullet wound in his chest. Raw anger and determination replaced any remorse I would've felt for what I had done. This man deserved to die for what he had done to me and countless others. I would never forgive him or anyone who was like him.

"You lose." He sputtered the words as the life was drained out of his body. I watched on in horror as he pressed the trigger he had been gripping earlier.

All at once hell broke loose as the ground began to tremble. Sven's face was twisted in a final scowl as his body was covered in falling debris. The sound of glass shattering and various objects falling followed shortly after.

"Guys, get out of there!" Tony's voice shouted over the intercom, leaving a ringing sound in my ears. "This place is going down faster than the Hulk can take it down."

My eyes widened at the mention of the Hulk. Crap. He and Cap were still somewhere in the complex. If I didn't act quickly than they could be lost forever. And there was no way all of us could go at once, not with so much at stake.

"You two go ahead and see if there are any survivors," I suddenly ordered. My voice still sounded shaken with everything that had happened.

"Where are you going?" Clint demanded after narrowing his eyes.

"The Hulk and Captain America are still trapped here, somewhere," I explained. I felt my stomach perform somersaults as I thought of what I had done to them. "I'm the only one who knows this place better than anyone."

"Valerie, you don't have to do this alone," Natasha replied. I rolled my eyes at the doubt in her tone.

"I can, and I will," I snapped. "I'm not leaving them behind."

If anyone was going to be left behind here, it would be me. I would give my life to save them. I knew that now. And it looked like that was what would happen. I owed them my life, and so much more. They looked like they were ready to argue when the roof above us began to crumble. Within seconds we ran out of the room before a pile of rubble could crush us.

Finally Natasha pulled me aside and gave me something she had been holding on to.

"Keep in touch when you find them," she ordered. Then she did something that I never expected. She gave me a hug. "No matter what Fury or the others say, you are a hero," she added in a whisper.

I stared at her in surprise when she said that. Was I really a hero? After everything I've done I didn't think that was possible. Despite the situation we were in I couldn't help but feel a thousand emotions surge through me.

Instead of saying anything I put the earpiece on and gave them a thumbs up. Meanwhile Clint was already making his way down the other hallway as Tony gave them directions to the nearest exit. Hopefully he was actually giving them the right coordinates and not just sending them on a wild goose chase.

The hallways, or what was left of them were already starting to show signs of collapsing. I needed to work quickly if I wanted to get them out alive. This whole place was going down. Sven had rigged it so that no one could find it again if anyone from outside the program should find it.

All of the bases the program had used were like that. Again that familiar knot in my stomach formed when I realized that I had helped plant those bombs. There were so many things I had done that I lost track. From killing innocent people to following Sven's orders.

My heart nearly skipped a beat when I heard a familiar ear-splitting roar. I skidded to a halt and peered through the pile of debris to see that the Hulk was awake again. And he was angrier than usual. I suppose after what I did that shouldn't surprise me.

Taking a deep breath, I climbed over the debris, ignoring the piece of glass that just cut my hand as I reached the Hulk. I struggled not to run as the Hulk turned around and glared at me. There was no doubt that he remembered what I had done to him.

"Look, I know I don't deserve forgiveness," I began after realizing that he wasn't attacking. Instead he was watching me suspiciously, as if waiting for me to strike again. "But I – Captain America needs your help." I quickly corrected myself as the Hulk's face twisted into a snarl.

The Hulk only stared at me in confusion before he did something that made me stare at him in disbelief.

"Friend." I swallowed when I saw the cut I had given him. It was already starting to heal, but the scar still remained. Yet another reminder of what I had done.

Suddenly he looked over to a pile of twisted metal and pieces of cement. Through the cloud of dust I made out a familiar form. All at once I took off and started pulling away what I could. When he saw what I was doing the Hulk actually helped, moving things to the side as more debris fell around us.

"I've found the Hulk and Captain America," I suddenly announced through the earpiece. It took a while for me to remember that I was wearing it. But as I pulled enough metal and cement away, I realized that I would need help getting Steve out of this mess.

"Valerie, you need to get out of there," Clint replied in a matter of seconds.

I ignored the comment and helped the Hulk pry out Steve as best as we could without hurting him even more. He had already lost a lot of blood from the wounds I'd given him. I bit the bottom of my lip when I saw how much damage he had taken.

"Clint, you an I both know that isn't an option," I told him after checking for any heartbeat. Fortunately Steve was still alive, but he wouldn't last much longer here. Not with the whole place crashing down on us. Finally I looked back at the Hulk, who was quiet through this entire ordeal. "Hulk, Bruce." He looked at me when I said both names. "You're going to need to take Steve and get out of here."

"Not leaving you." He shook his head and looked at me defiantly. I tried not to smile when he said those words. Looked like Bruce was trying to speak through the Hulk, even though that wasn't likely possible.

"You have the strength to get out of here," I said in a reassuring tone. "Steve is going to need help when you get out." The Hulk continued watching me before shuffling towards an unconscious Steve. "Please, make sure that you both get out safely," I murmured.

Finally the Hulk looked at me one last time before gently picking up Steve. It was strange watching a big green monster carry someone like Captain America of all people. Although now I knew that the Hulk wasn't just a monster. Like everyone else he had feelings.

I didn't stick around to make sure that they had left. Already I was running down the hallway, or what was left of it, to make sure that no one else was stuck here.

. . .

SHIELD had sent another quinjet to the Avenger's coordinates, much to the team's surprise. How Fury had assumed they would need it was beyond them, but they were thankful nonetheless. The quinjet was landed near the cloud of dust, waiting as patiently as it could for the rest of their team.

"You know we can't stay here much longer," Tony pointed out as he leaned against the leather seats.

"No, we still don't–" Clint was cut off when the sound of ground splitting apart followed. Natasha leaned forward when a familiar green form appeared through the thick cloud of dust.

"So, exactly what happened back there?" Tony had seen the Hulk approaching the quinjet as well, and was shuffling in his seat uncomfortably.

After having gotten out of his Iron Man suit (only after the soldiers had captured him and tried hacking into it), he was exhausted. But even the sight of the Hulk approaching them was enough to set him off.

"Let's just say we ran into an old enemy," Natasha explained after giving the answer some thought. Should they ever have to explain anything, it would be explained to Fury. Right now their team didn't need to know more about Natasha's or Valerie's past than they already did.

Tony squinted his eyes when the Hulk stopped right outside the building. The three of them watched on in confusion as he morphed back into Bruce. It didn't take Natasha long to realize what Bruce was doing, and for the others to follow as she joined him.

"He'll need medical attention as soon as we get back," Bruce replied when Clint asked what had happened.

"What about Valerie?" Bruce only frowned as soon as Natasha asked him that.

"She…. She stayed behind." His voice was so quiet that they could barely hear.

As he said that a final explosion sounded. The team watched on with horror as a cloud of dust and smoke billowed in the air. Even if she had been giving a serum that would make her survive anything the world threw at her, she couldn't survive something like that.

"We need to go." Natasha didn't budge when Clint put a hand on her shoulder.

"**All the things that we've lost Breaking off comes at a cost, And know I miss this mistake Every word I try to choose, Either way I'm gonna lose Can't take the ache from our break, Oh but as you walk away You don't hear me say...**"

They looked at the destroyed base one last time before returning to the waiting quinjet. Memories of that day would always haunt them. And memories of what had happened prior to that day would never be forgotten.

"Sorry guys, I'm not picking up any signs of life in there," Tony said as he tried scanning the area. "So what do we tell Fury?"

"We tell him what he needs to know," Clint replied.

"That the kid nearly killed us all?" Natasha's hands gripped the seat as she resisted the urge to slap the living crap out of Tony.

"No, she didn't," Bruce pointed out. "When I was… watching her through the 'Other Guy', I noticed that she hesitated before trying to… end it." He hesitated at the end, as if afraid of what he really wanted to say.

"So she was fighting him the entire time," Natasha murmured thoughtfully.

"Okay, who is _him_?" Tony suddenly asked. "Because all I remembered seeing was a faceless guy threatening you three in that room; the video feed was kind of fuzzy."

Again Natasha resisted the urge to slap him. Everything would be explained when they got back to the Helicarrier. She only hoped that Fury would be more understanding of what had happened.

"**Where's the good in goodbye? Where's the "nice" in nice try? Where's the answer and trust gone? Where's the soul in "soldier on"? I'm alone and lonely Cause I don't own the only, I can take this mistake But I can't take the ache from heartbreak, Can't take the ache from heartbreak...**"

* * *

**AN: So there's the second last chapter. Next chapter will be the last. So yeah. Thanks Spinosa for reviewing, again!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't not own the lyrics to the song No Good in Goodbye by The Script. They own the lyrics to this awesome song.**


	29. An Ending

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

* * *

_"'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops, What if Your healing comes through tears What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near, What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise..." Blessings, Laura Story_

* * *

"If you ever do anything like this again…." Eventually Fury's voice just droned on as he continued his ranting.

After breaking the rules and laws so many times Natasha had gotten used to just ignoring his rants. She along with what was left of the team stood in front of Fury, which meant it was only her and Clint putting up with the usual crap Fury left on their shoulders. Tony had wandered off before he could get screamed at, and Bruce was helping the nurses clean up Roger's wounds while the super soldier made a swift recovery.

"Cap's in serious condition, yeah, we get that," Clint suddenly stopped Director Fury before he could shout again. A few passing agents had quickly skirted away so they wouldn't be caught in the crossfire. Natasha didn't miss the looks of satisfaction crossing agent Hill's features when she walked past them. "Can we just get past the ranting and move on?"

Fury narrowed his eye and glared at the archer before looking back at Natasha. All the while she had remained professionally quiet throughout the whole ordeal. She knew better than to speak up during a time like this.

"Something's on your mind," the Director said in an accusing tone. Immediately Natasha stiffened when Clint nudged her gently.

"We shouldn't go back to that place," she murmured. Fury rose an eyebrow as she looked at him warily. "There's nothing left to find; everything was destroyed in that explosion."

"You say that now," Fury began, "and yet we were led to believe that she was given a serum, one that ensured she survived_ anything_."

Almost at once Natasha felt her shoulders stiffen. "Look, she stayed behind to make sure that Bruce and Steve got out alive," Clint said before Natasha got herself into trouble. It was rare for that to happen, usually he was the one getting yelled at by the 'good' Director. "I'd say she deserves to at least be left alone and pick up the pieces."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean? I've got the Council on my ass for letting a fourteen year old serial killer slip right out of my hands." Fury pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to come up with some kind of excuse, any that would let SHIELD apprehend the kid that had caused them so much trouble.

"It means that if she did survive, we should give her some space," Natasha replied. "She'll need time to recover from what they did to her." Natasha knew all too well what it was like to be controlled, and the consequences that followed. It would take more than just time for Valerie to recover. But she didn't say anything out loud. SHIELD would only scare Valerie into running again.

Director Fury gave them both a doubtful look. Natasha would stand firm with her statement, even if she was grounded from any missions once this was all over.

"You really believe that she was a hero?" His question caught them both by surprise.

"She was," they replied in unison. The two exchanged knowing looks before looking back at Fury.

"Alright, fine." Director Fury let out a sigh of frustration before pacing around once again. "I'm not making any promises, but I may be able to convince the Council otherwise. They don't like to make things easy for any of us."

Finally he was finished with his rant, and turned to discuss the issues at hand with the Council.

"Well, that could've gone better," Clint muttered once they were alone.

"It could be worse," Natasha pointed out. She was more relieved than anything else. She had already dealt with Fury's wrath more than once. This was nothing new, but it still stung when they had to convince him not to go after Valerie.

After putting up with that ranting they would both need a break. But when it came to SHIELD, their jobs were never finished. Every day was a battle when it came to keeping the world safe from ongoing threats.

"So I take it your chat with the 'boss' didn't go as planned?" Tony was grinning like an idiot when they reached the lab. Truth be told working in the lab was the perfect way to keep him distracted, especially during times like these.

"We knew the consequences breaking the rules," Natasha replied with a roll of her eyes.

It wasn't anything new to her. She had lost track of how many times she had broken the rules or the law for the matter. Yet every time she had gotten away with it, more or less. It was only a matter of luck that had kept her alive all this time, and all of the years of training she had endured.

"So, what did Fury say about the kid?" Tony followed them to the medical bay where Bruce was still helping out the nurses and doctors. After everything that had happened, he was trying to help those that were hurt during the attack on the Helicarrier. Even though it wasn't much of an attack. Only a few agents had gotten injured this time.

"We managed to convince him not to track her down," Clint explained warily. "The kid's gonna need time to recover from what they did to her." He added the last part with a shrug, as if it was no concern at the moment.

"I still don't get what you two saw in that kid," Tony muttered crossly. "Considering the history behind her–"

Clint cut him off with an icy glare. All the while Natasha had remained oddly quiet throughout the conversation. Her mind was still reeling with thoughts of past events from the last few days. Seeing what Valerie had gone through reminded Natasha so much of herself. And those memories had been kept buried for so long that it made her queasy just thinking about it.

Soon they reached the medical bay to see that Steve was finally awake. The super soldier was rubbing the back of his head as Bruce explained what had happened. He left out a few details, such as when the Hulk was forced to drag Steve out of the crumbling building at the last minute.

"So, any idea where she is now?" Steve asked the question everyone else was wondering.

"Does it really matter?" Bruce pointed out. "If it wasn't for that serum she would have died rescuing us. I say she's earned a few days off."

Of all the members on the team, Bruce had surprised Natasha the most when he said that. Then again he knew what it was like to be seen as a monster. He partly understood what Valerie was going through, and wanted to give her time to heal.

"I think we could all use a break," Tony announced after clasping his hands together. "How does that sound?"

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Clint replied.

"But we didn't do anything worth while," Steve murmured thoughtfully.

"Sometimes you just need to chill out, Steve." Tony laughed as Steve made a face at him. Even Natasha smirked at the joke.

A break would be nice, for all of them. After all it wouldn't be long before a new threat popped up. The team would be ready for it this time, and so would the rest of SHIELD. Nothing would stop them from keeping the world safe. And that was a promise.

. . .

It was early in the morning when Annie turned on the news and grabbed a bowl of cereal. School started in a couple of hours, but she always got an early start. That had been difficult these past few days. Her family had decided to adopt Sophie since she had no other family. And while she was thankful for that, Sophie was making her life even worse. She had lost track of how many times Sophie would wake up in the middle of the night screaming in horror.

_If they ever catch that murderer_, _it can't be too soon_, Annie thought. She was exhausted. She needed to get some decent sleep if she wanted to keep up her good grades.

"We've just received word that there were no survivors from the explosion that occurred hours ago," the news reporter announced. Annie swallowed a mouthful of cereal and milk as she turned up the volume.

Apparently last night there had been an explosion in the middle of the Badlands National Park. She had never been there but it was about a three hour drive from the city. At least that was her assumption.

What really made the story so significant was the fact that the Avengers had been involved. Annie had never cared much for them until now. Of course Tony Stark was on right now, looking more exhausted than anything else. But he was giving the news reporter minor details on what had happened at the facility.

"Actually there was one possible survivor, but we can't specify whether or not they are in fact alive," he explained.

"Do you know the name of this possible survivor?" The news reporter seemed less interested in the story now. Annie rolled her eyes when she realized that the news reporter was focusing solely on Mr. Stark. The guy always seemed to be wearing a suit, no matter what the occasion.

For a moment he made a face, as if debating whether or not he should share such information. Annie leaned forward in anticipation. She wasn't even sure why. It's not like this story had anything to do with her. But anything that involved the Avengers might lead her to discovering who the murderer that got away was.

"Valerie," was all he said after giving it some thought. "Valerie H."

All at once Annie's heart started racing with more than just anxiety. She shut off the television, unable to continue watching the news.

_It can't be true_, she thought bitterly. The 'H' could have stood for anything. But she had a feeling that she already knew what it stood for.

Her sister was dead. She had assumed when returning home that day that Valerie was killed as well. She had not seen any body that would prove such evidence. Yet she kept telling herself that it was the case, for Valerie had not returned home or called.

For the first time since the discovery of her old family's death, she felt tears streaming down her face. She had dropped her spoon and was already cleaning up the table. If her sister truly was alive…. She would try finding Valerie. Even if it meant going down memory lane, and unearthing the memories she had kept hidden for so long.

. . .

For a while I felt nothing.

Darkness enveloped my entire being. It was an oddly welcoming presence compared to the blinding light I had endured earlier.

Part of me knew that I was in limbo. My body was trying to decide whether or not I would wake up again to see a new day. But I knew that I would live. The serum was working already.

I wasn't ready for this. I didn't want to live again. Yet I had no choice. The serum made sure that I survived just about anything that was thrown at me. And that included getting crushed by hundreds of pounds of rock and sand.

All I knew now was one thing: I lived.

* * *

**AN: I'm sorry this ending was so choppy, but I made it this way on purpose. So yes, Annie now knows that her sister is still alive. And of course Valerie is alive. But I will not be starting a sequel. Not unless people start asking for one. Otherwise this is the ending that I came up with, even if it doesn't seem like one.**

**Also wanted to say that the song lyrics used for the chapter titles came from the song 'Broken Girl' by Matthew West. And Blessings seems like the perfect song for both Valerie and Annie. such a beautiful song :'(**

**Big thank you to Spinosa for reviewing almost every chapter! You are an awesome friend, and I really do appreciate the support!**


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